Fate

by TheTrueSpartan

When Ron discovers that he can see the future, his entire fate is thrown off of its course. A story about adventure, friendship, growing up, and pushing forward through hardships. This story will get darker as it progresses, just like the original Harry Potter novels. It will cover all Seven Years of Hogwarts, but mostly from Ron's perspective. No Mary Sues, no Character bashing.

75. Chapter 75 - Dark Lord Rising

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter 75 is finally finished! No real announcements except for that we're nearly at 900 Reviews! Hot-Damn! Thank you to my reviewers, your support has kept me going through moments of self-doubt, and it's because of you guys that this story hasn't been abandoned. So once again, thank you!

Please Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, and I do not intend to make any money off of this. Harry Potter is the intellectual property of J. K. Rowling , and I take no credit of it whatsoever.

I was also inspired by Demon Eyes Laharl's: THE RED KNIGHT! and also from Random-Fruitcake04's: CHOICES! I hope you check them out as well because they are genuinely very good stories.

---

Fate

Chapter 75 – Dark Lord Rising

Ronald Weasley's POV

Sunday 13th September, 1993 (Beauxbatons Grand Hall – Lunchtime)

Ron stood alongside the staff as Madame Maxime entered the Grand Hall, and upon seeing him, she smiled slightly. Ron understood why she was smiling at him, and no, it wasn't because she was glad to see him. Raphael had all but ordered Ron to sit by Madame Maxime's side during Lunch, and Ron knew quite well that this was a power move. She wanted everyone to see her sitting by Le fléau de Vélane's side, but more than that, she wanted to show everyone just how friendly they were now. She needed to prove to her own students that there was no bad blood between her and Ron.

"You may all sit," Madame Maxime ordered as she herself sat down, and everyone in the Hall took their seats. It's quite remarkable that they all stand to attention when she walks into a room. Even we don't show Dumbledore that kind of respect. "How has your day been, my friend?" Madame Maxime asked him.

"Quite wonderful," Ron replied, he had no intention of telling her about the Veela incident. Amanda had told him that Veelas, especially the younger ones, had trouble holding back once they saw a 'worthy mate'. Truth be told, that had alarmed Ron quite a lot. He just wanted to go back home to Daphne already. "Beauxbatons is nothing short of astonishing."

"And Amanda has been a good host?" Madame Maxime asked as she poured herself some soup, and then she passed the soup to Ron. Ron took it carefully, and then he began to pour himself some.

"She's been amazing," Ron replied with a genuine smile, and then he passed the soup to Professor Leblanc.

"Tell me about your day," Madame Maxime smiled, her eyes darting towards Amanda and her friends.

"She gave me a tour of the Grand Hall first, and we ate a lot of cakes," Ron started, and Madame Maxime chuckled to herself. "After that, we roamed the grounds before going back to her room."

"I trust that you both behaved," Madame Maxime smirked, and Ron felt his face heat up.

"We did," Ron assured her, but her smirk only turned more devious. "We played Chess, Madame."

"And who won the most games?" Madame Maxime asked.

"I won them all," Ron replied truthfully, and Madame Maxime nodded. I hope that won't get Amanda into trouble, but she herself told me to be nothing but truthful. Shite, should I tell her about the Veelas? "After that, she took me to the Gymnasium in order to show me the Dueling and Gymnastics Clubs."

"The Gymnastic Club, you say?" Madame Maxime chuckled again. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that that was your idea."

"It was, actually," Ron admitted with a sheepish smile. "I just wanted to see some acrobatics, that's all." And some Veela arse. Which, by the way, was amazing.

"I'm sure," Madame Maxime smirked. "And then what happened?" Wait… Does she already know? If so, then why is she pretending to be ignorant? Bloody hell, I really don't want to get anyone in trouble here.

"After that, we spent some time in the gardens together," Ron replied, deciding to skip the Veela incident. Amanda said that the younger ones physically can't control themselves, and if that's true, then they shouldn't be punished on my behalf. I'm the one who showed up here unannounced.

"Professor Leblanc?" Madame Maxime said, her eyes traveling to the Dueling instructor.

"The younger ones tried to seduce him with their allures," Professor Leblanc replied, and Ron's smile died right away. Caught lying! Fuck! "It… It didn't work…"

"Ronald?" Madame Maxime looked to him, her expression unreadable.

"Amanda told me that the younger ones can't help themselves sometimes, and it's my fault for showing up unannounced," Ron said firmly, he'd be damned if he gave her an inch. "I don't blame them, nor do I have any ill feelings on the matter."

"I see," Madame Maxime smiled, and then she looked to her students. "Many of the students who are not of age yet are here because their Veela blood is too strong. Sometimes, not even their mothers can control them. Their beauty comes at a terrible price, Ronald. I thank you for being so understanding."

"You're welcome," Ron said as he looked to the students as well, and unsurprisingly, there were a lot of eyes on him. Some students were whispering to each other, while some were just gawking at him. In all honesty, it made Ron slightly uncomfortable. Particularly when a lad his age sent him a wink. And a good day to you too, Sir. The entrance to the Grand Hall suddenly opened, and Raphael came striding in. Within a few seconds, he was hovering by Madame Maxime's right and whispering in her ear.

"I understand," Madame Maxime said, and Raphael quickly began marching towards the exit. What was that? "Ronald, come with me. Your new business partners are here early." Really?

"Please, lead the way," Ron said, and then they both stood up. Much to his surprise, everyone in the Grand Hall also stood up.

"Come," Madame Maxime said, and then she began to walk down towards the exit. Ron followed after her, and as he passed by Amanda and her friends, he shot her a quick smile. "My friends recommended the Brodeur brothers to me, and as it happens, they were students here three years ago. Their father recently passed away, and they are trying their best to keep their father's advertisement firm afloat."

"Even if it means dealing with a foreigner," Ron figured, and she shot him a smile.

"Clever boy," Madame Maxime complimented, and Ron smiled back. "You are exactly right. They desperately need a business to promote, and you desperately need promoters. It is a perfect match, is it not?"

"It is," Ron replied. "Thank-"

"Please, Ronald, you have thanked me enough," Madame Maxime said. "Now… I will make the introductions, and then you control the meeting after that."

"Sounds like a plan," Ron agreed as they stepped out of the Grand Hall.

"We will be meeting them for tea in the gardens," Madame Maxime went on as they stepped out into the Courtyard. "The brothers are twins, by the way. Antoine and Oscar are their names, and believe me, they are quite sharp. Both of them had spectacular grades during their time here, and if it weren't for their father's untimely death, they'd no doubt be working within the French Ministry."

"When did their father pass?" Ron asked.

"Around three months ago, but I would advise not bringing that up at all," Madame Maxime replied, and Ron nodded. "This is a business deal, not a social gathering. Don't forget that they need you just as much as you need them, Ron. Don't let them trick you into a better deal."

"I won't," Ron assured her. As they made their way into the gardens, Ron spotted Raphael setting up Madame Maxime's golden tea set by hand. And sitting close to him were two blonde men, each of them wearing a colorful suit.

"Ah, Madame," the man in the bright yellow suit smiled, while the one in the bright blue suit bowed his head in respect.

"Oscar and Antoine Brodeur," Madame Maxime smiled at them, and they both stood up. "It is good to see you both so healthy."

"And you as well, Madame," the man in the bright blue suit said.

"Come, let me introduce you to my friend," Madame Maxime beckoned them, and they both approached Madame Maxime and Ron. "This is Oscar, and this is Antoine. Oscar and Antoine, this is Ronald Weasley."

"A pleasure," Ron said as he put his hand forward, and both men shook it firmly. Oscar is the one in the yellow suit, and Antoine is wearing the blue suit. I need to remember that. If I mix them up, it'll be really embarrassing.

"How are you, young man?" Oscar asked with a smile.

"I am doing well," Ron replied. "Thank you for coming here on such short notice, I really do appreciate it."

"The sound of Gold can allure many a man, no?" Antoine smiled, and Ron gave him a nod.

"So it was not my summons that brought you here?" Madame Maxime joked, and both men laughed.

"Seeing you again lifts our hearts, Madame," Antoine assured her, and she gestured them to sit back down. They all took their seats at that, with Ron and Madame Maxime sitting across from the Brodeur brothers.

"As you are well aware, my friend Ronald is in need of an advertisement firm," Madame Maxime started. "For personal reasons, he has chosen to come to France in order to find one. And I believe that your firm is exactly what he needs."

"And what are these personal reasons?" Oscar asked, his eyes turning to meet Ron's.

"If there is trouble for you back in Britain, then we deserve to know," Antoine added. "After all, our partnership will only succeed if we both lay our cards on the table."

"Barnabas Cuffe, the Chief-in-Editor of the Daily Prophet, is trying to stonewall my business," Ron replied truthfully, and both men nodded in understanding.

"An angry competitor," Antoine said.

"We have dealt with this before," Oscar added. Are all twins like this? I wish I had a twin. I'd call him Wonald Reasley. Hehe.

"He is friends with the right people back in Britain, and so I can't use any of the firms there," Ron told them. "Which is why I came to France in order to seek help from Madame Maxime. And she showed me the kindness of bringing us together."

"You flatter," Madame Maxime smiled, and Ron smiled back.

"Tell us about your business, and please, leave nothing out," Antoine said. "We wish to know everything about this 'Quibbler'."

---

One Hour later

"All of that brought me here," Ron finished, he had told them everything as well.

"I must admit, my heart aches for this Priscila," Antoine said.

"Pauvre enfant," Oscar added, he looked quite upset about a girl that he had never even met.

"Your business model is very impressive, monsieur Weasley," Antoine said, and Ron gave him a thankful nod. "You are clearly very passionate about this, which pleases both my brother and me greatly. A passionate client always makes our job easier, but saying that… The costs…"

"We currently have a request from another potential client, and as we are a small firm, we cannot handle two giant campaigns at once," Oscar joined in, and Ron felt his stomach drop. "They are willing to pay us up to three thousand and five hundred Galleons, whereas you are only offering us two thousand."

"With all due respect to you, and the Madame, we are trying to run a business," Antoine picked up. "It is not economically viable for us to run a campaign in a foreign country for less money than what another potential client is willing to pay. Unless you can top their offer, we cannot, in good conscience, work for you."

"We must also provide for our own," Oscar finished.

"And what price would secure your service?" Ron asked, making sure to keep his composure.

"Four thousand Galleons," Antoine replied, and Ron's gut tightened painfully. Fucking hell!

"Believe us when we tell you that this is the best price that you'll get from a foreign advertisement firm," Oscar said. "If you weren't the Madame's friend, this price would be much higher."

"I understand," Ron said, and then he took in a deep breath. "May I have a minute to think this through?"

"Of course," they both said together, and Ron immediately zoned out. Four thousand Galleons… It's certainly better than five thousand Galleons, which is what Gornuk estimated. Shite, what do I do? Ron took in another deep breath, and then he began plotting. I'll transfer as much money as I can from my personal vault into The Quibbler's vault, and hopefully, that will make a big difference. And if I still need more… Then… Then I'll ask Daphne for help… Ron's chest tightened at the thought, but he swallowed the bitter reality of his situation nonetheless.

"Four thousand Galleons," Ron repeated, and both men nodded. "Then you have a deal."

---

Sunday 13th September, 1993 (Beauxbatons Gardens – Late Afternoon)

"I am sad to see you go, Ron," Amanda smiled weakly, and he managed a weak smile in return. Truth be told, his gut was still feeling rather tight from his meeting with the Brodeur brothers. "Will you write more often?"

"I will, I promise," Ron said, and then he pulled her into a hug. She squeezed him as tightly as she could, whereas he made sure to not squeeze too hard. "Thank you for showing me around today, I had a really great time."

"I should be thanking you for helping me skip my Club activities," Amanda joked, and then they both pulled back. Ron's eyes darted towards her friends behind her, and he met her boyfriend's eyes for a second. The black haired boy was fifteen, but a foot shorter than Ron. It was just a hug mate, stop eyeballing me like that.

"Thanks for spending the last hour with me," Ron said to Amanda's friends, and they waved at him with friendly smiles. "I hope your evening activities go well."

"Bye, Ronald," Penny, Amanda's best friend, said. Ron looked back to Amanda with a smile, and then he took a step back.

"See you at next year's Chess Tournaments?" Ron asked, and she nodded quickly.

"I'll be in the Apprentice League though," Amanda mumbled, her eyes getting watery. She did mention that she hated goodbyes.

"That just means that we'll both come out with a trophy," Ron winked, and she let out a wet laugh. Ron then reached into his coat and pulled out the covered Portkey.

"Send my regards to Daphne Greengrass," Amanda said, and Ron gave her a nod. I will, after I beg her for money. Ron uncovered the Portkey, and after giving Amanda one more look, he touched it with his left index finger. He immediately got pulled into a vortex of lights and noises, and then, he landed harshly in the Portkey Office's backroom.

"Ow…" Ron groaned, and then he stood up slowly. "Who made this method of traveling? I hope that they're dead…" His stomach growled loudly, and Ron felt his mouth getting wetter. Don't vomit! You're fine… Just breathe. After a few seconds of just breathing, Ron straightened his back and looked around the room. "Hello?!"

"Ah, Mr. Weasley," the portly witch said as she wobbled into the room. "Welcome back to Britain."

"Thank you, Miss…"

"My name is Natalie," the portly witch smiled, and Ron simply nodded. "Right… I'll pick up the used Portkey… Please just sign here." Ron walked up to her, and she handed him a quill and a document. Ron signed his name, and then he handed her the quill and document back. "Have a pleasant day." Yeah… Thanks…

"You too," Ron said, and then he left the room. As he was walking towards the elevator, he checked his Rolex for the time. Twenty past four. I should go to Gringotts first in order to transfer the funds, and then I'll head back to Greengrass Manor. And then, I'll go and speak with Daph. He knew that he was being far too prideful, and that Daphne would help him without a second thought, but it just hurt him to know that he was making her pay for his problems. It felt as if he was taking advantage of the one person who was constantly in his corner back at Hogwarts, and that made him want to slam his own head into a wall.

"Atrium, please," Ron said to the man near the buttons, and the man clicked the button for the eighth floor.

"Tough day?" the man asked him, and Ron nodded. "Sorry to hear that. This place just sucks the soul right out of you somedays, doesn't it?"

"I… I don't work here," Ron said, and the man blinked at him. "I'm a third year at Hogwarts." The man looked him up and down, and then he looked back ahead. Whatever… "You're a big lad…"

"Thanks," Ron said, and they both decided to settle for silence. Once the elevator stopped on the eighth floor, Ron quickly stepped outside and made his way towards the fireplaces. I'm glad that it's Sunday, otherwise the crowd would be massive. Once he reached the fireplaces, he took a pinch of floo powder into his left hand. "The Leaky Cauldron." Ron then tossed the powder into the fire, and once it blazed green, Ron stepped through it.

The change in smell was the first thing he noticed, and truth be told, it was rather foul. And then he realized how noisy and packed the pub was, and it took him almost three minutes to push his way out to the back. Once he was in Diagon Alley, he quickly made his way towards Gringotts. I hope Gornuk is working today. Do Goblins work on Sunday? Merlin, I hope so. I really don't want to travel out of Hogwarts again. Once he was halfway there, he noticed that there was quite a commotion happening near the entrance of Knockturn Alley. What's going on there?

"You can't just show up in here and do as you please!" a grizzled old man yelled, and Ron narrowed his eyes on the crowd.

"Step away, Sir," a large dark-skinned man said, and Ron recognized him. Is that Kingsley Shacklebolt? I only met him once, but he's a hard man to forget.

"Where are you taking the boy?!" a dirty witch squealed.

"That is not your concern, citizen," Madam Roberts said, her right hand hovering over her wand holster. "Step back now."

"You've shut the whole district down for one bloody boy?!" an angry shopkeeper yelled, and Ron found himself growing more and more interested in what was happening. "Some of us are trying to go home here!"

"A man was killed, now step back!" Shacklebolt's voice thundered, and everyone took a step away from him. That's when Ron spotted a sleeping boy in Shacklebolt's arms. A murder happened? In Knockturn Alley? Isn't that… common?

"Tonks and Bailey, disperse this crowd," Madam Roberts ordered, and Ron spotted the Metamorphmagus and a skeevy looking young man brandish their wands.

"Back off, you lot!" the lad named Bailey snapped. "Crawl back into your holes!"

"Bailey!" Shacklebolt frowned at the overzealous recruit.

"Please, this will only take longer if you hinder our work," Tonks said calmly, though she had a resolute look on her face. Ron couldn't help but notice that her hair was bright pink right now. "Please, just give us a bit more time to investigate the area, and then you can all go about your day." As Tonks was addressing the crowd, both Shacklebolt and Madam Roberts pushed their way through towards Ron.

"Ronald?" Madam Roberts blinked at him, and he gave her a weak wave.

"Hello," Ron said as both Madam Roberts and Shacklebolt got closer to him.

"Why are you here?" Madam Roberts asked, a scowl marking her features.

"Mr. Weasley, shouldn't you be at Hogwarts?" Shacklebolt asked, and Ron gave him a firm nod.

"I just have business at Gringotts today, Sir," Ron replied. "After that, I'll be heading straight back to school."

"Business at Gringotts?" Shacklebolt eyed him suspiciously. "And where is your supervision?"

"The Headmaster allows me to go about my business unattended," Ron replied, and Shacklebolt's eyes widened a bit.

"Albus Dumbledore allows you to roam around outside of Hogwarts unattended?" Shacklebolt asked. "Forgive me, Mr. Weasley, but I do not believe you. Not to mention that he is not even in Britain right now."

"Send him an owl then," Ron frowned at the tall man. Bald cunt.

"Kingsley, take the boy to the Department," Madam Roberts jumped in, her eyes fixed on Ron. "Rufus needs to know about this. I'll deal with Mr. Weasley here." Shacklebolt nodded at that, and then he quickly walked off with the sleeping boy still in his arms.

"Rufus Scrimgeour?" Ron asked, and Madam Roberts gave him a curt nod. "The Head Auror needs to know about some murder in Knockturn Alley? Don't people get killed there often? Wait… Was the victim important to you guys? Is that why you've closed down the whole district?"

"You ask a lot of questions," Madam Roberts frowned at him, and Ron gave her a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, I just… need a distraction," Ron sighed out. "Things didn't go well for me today…"

"That is not my concern," Madam Roberts said, and Ron nodded weakly. "Go to Gringotts, and then go straight back to school. The streets are not safe."

"Yes, Ma'am," Ron said, and just as he was about to turn around and leave, Tonks ran up to them.

"We have a problem," Tonks panted, and then she blinked at Ron. "What are you-"

"What problem?" Madam Roberts asked, and then both she and Ron looked towards the dispersing crowd.

"I tried to tell them to wait, but they started inciting the mob," Tonks replied, while Ron's eyes slowly fixed themselves onto Lucius Malfoy. Lucius Mafloy… Right before Us… Ron felt his stomach heat up, and his eyes glazed over. Miserable wretch… Insignificant speck of feculent scum… He hurt Our Ginny… Our BLOOD! "They want to speak with you, Ma'am."

"What are they doing in Knockturn Alley?" Madam Roberts hissed, a look of disgust marring her features.

"They wouldn't say," Tonks replied. "Cornelius Nott told me to 'know my place' when I asked them."

"Of course," Madam Roberts hissed again, and then she turned to Ron. "You should…" she started, but she stopped immediately when she noticed Ron's murderous glare. "Ronald? Ronald, can you hear me? Ronald?!" Madam Roberts then shook him, and he blinked at her.

"Sorry?" Ron asked, he had completely blacked out. What the fuck? What just happened?

"Merlin…" Tonks mumbled under her breath, her eyes darting between Ron and Lucius Malfoy. "If looks could kill…"

"What was that?" Madam Roberts asked him slowly, and he blinked at her again.

"What was what?" Ron asked, his eyes darting towards Lucius Malfoy again. His blood boiled at the sight of the man, and Ron knew that he had to leave. I'll lose control, I just know it. I… I think I already did…

"Never mind," Madam Roberts said, but her eyes were fixed on Ron's. "Be on your way, boy."

"Right," Ron said softly, and then he turned his head and cracked his neck loudly.

"Ew…" Tonks mumbled, her face grimacing slightly. Ron ignored her as he turned around and left, his pace quickened because of his need to put some distance between him and Lucius Malfoy. Not yet, but soon…

"Calm… Stay calm…" Ron grit out under his breath, but his teeth were gnashing against each other. And deep down, Ron could feel a hunger of sorts. A need. It was so strong that his hands began to tremble, and his face twitched uncontrollably. Ginny… He tried to murder Our Ginny… A twisted giggle escaped out of his mouth, and Ron turned his head and cracked his neck again. "Blood for blood…" Ron snarled to himself. "Soon…"

As he was walking up the steps of Gringotts, he made sure to his head down in order to hide his face from the crowd. The last thing he needed today was to get caught in his current state. Calm down, Ron. Get a hold of yourself. Ron shoved his trembling hands into his coat pockets, and as an old wizard was stepping out of the bank, Ron quickly slid past him and into Gringotts. Just get your work done, Ron. Don't let this day get any worse. Ron walked towards Gornuk's desk, only to find it empty.

"Can I help you?" a Goblin asked him from a nearby desk, and Ron turned to face him. "Are you alright? You look… unwell…"

"Is… Ahem…" Ron cleared his throat. "Is Gornuk here?"

"His shift ended twenty minutes ago," the Goblin replied, and Ron nodded slowly. Twenty minutes. I was twenty minutes too late. "Is there anything that I can do for you?"

"No," Ron replied, his head was starting to hurt. This fucking day.

"Mr. Weasley?" came Gornuk's voice, and Ron looked to see the Goblin standing by a pillar with a briefcase. He's heading home?

"Gornuk," Ron greeted back.

"What are you doing here, Sir?" Gornuk asked. Sir?

"I needed to speak with you, but I just learned that your shift ended twenty minutes ago," Ron replied.

"That's fine, please follow me," Gornuk said, and Ron blinked at him. But instead of refusing him, Ron quickly followed after the Goblin. "I imagine that this is about your business?"

"It is," Ron replied, his body tensing slightly. Please Merlin, let there be enough in my own vault.

"Please, take a seat," Gornuk said as he opened the door to his Office, and Ron did as he was told. Gornuk made his way to his own chair, and then he stared at Ron with his beady eyes. "Have you found a solution to your problem? I must admit that I have failed to find anyone willing to work for you."

"I have found a solution… Sort of…" Ron replied, and Gornuk leaned forward. "An advertisement firm from France is willing to work for me, they're called Le mot d'or."

"Le mot d'or? The golden word?" Gornuk asked.

"You speak French?" Ron asked back, and the Goblin smirked.

"Of course," he replied. Of course.

"Anyway, they are willing to run the advertisement campaign for The Quibbler," Ron stated, and the Goblin nodded to himself. "The only problem is that they want four thousand Galleons."

"I see," Gornuk said slowly.

"It's better than what you estimated, and they will do the job perfectly," Ron went on. "Madame Maxime knows the owners, and they hold a great deal of respect for her. And since I'm her friend, they'll do right by me."

"You are friends with Madame Olympe Maxime?" Gornuk asked, his eyes widening slightly. "That explains why you picked a French firm. Four thousand Galleons, you say? That's not bad, Mr. Weasley."

"We have two thousand in The Quibbler's vault for advertisement, right?" Ron asked, and Gornuk gave him a nod. "How much do I have in my personal vault? Just tell me about the Galleons."

"One thousand eight hundred and forty three Galleons," Gornuk replied from memory, and Ron rubbed his forehead.

"That little?" Ron muttered, his eyes closing in a tired manner.

"You are a heavy spender, Mr. Weasley," Gornuk replied. "Expensive gifts, clothes, your Elf's pay, various payments made to catering companies-"

"I get it," Ron interrupted. He's right, I've spent so much money in the last two years. And this Quibbler business was a severe blow to my vault. But still, have I really been so careless with my money? I'm such an imbecile. Didn't I spend over four hundred just on Luna and Ginny's bracelets? And Daphne's new pajamas were… Yeah, just over four hundred on my part. As for my own suits and robes… Merlin, this is not good.

"Mr. Weasley?" Gornuk called, and Ron broke out of his miserable thoughts.

"Here is what we'll do," Ron said, and then he took in a deep breath. "Transfer one thousand from my personal vault into The Quibbler's, and then get in touch with Le mot d'or. Pay them their four thousand Galleons, and get the campaign up and running by the beginning of October."

"That's one thousand Galleons that I'll need to take from the hiring budget," Gornuk pointed out, and Ron nodded slowly.

"I… I have a friend who will send me another thousand… Please transfer that into The Quibbler's vault after it comes in," Ron said, an overwhelming sense of shame enveloping him. One thousand Galleons… I'm so fucking sorry, Daphne.

"I understand," Gornuk nodded as he began to pull out some documents from his desk. "You certainly have a lot of friends, Mr. Weasley." Friends that I don't deserve.

---

Sunday 13th September, 1993 (Greengrass Manor – Evening)

"Pup! Finally!" came Sirius' voice as soon as Ron stepped through the fireplace, and before he knew it, Sirius was pulling him into a hug.

"Sirius, what are you doing here?" Ron asked as he slowly returned the hug. Was he just waiting for me or something?

"Waiting for you, obviously," Sirius replied, and then he let go of Ron.

"Merlin, Sirius… Why do you smell like a pub?" Ron asked, and Sirius let out a nervous chuckle. Ron couldn't help but notice that Sirius had a five 'o'clock shadow on his face, and that his eyes looked particularly tired. "Are you alright?"

"I'm doing just fine," Sirius lied, but Ron just stared at him. The article probably hurt him quite a lot. My own problems can wait for a moment.

"I'm sorry about that article, Sirius," Ron said, and Sirius waved a dismissive hand.

"Fuck that bitch, that's what I say," Sirius said dismissively.

"Still… If you want to talk about it, I'm right here," Ron said, and Sirius simply shook his head.

"Don't worry about me, kid," Sirius assured Ron. "I've been through a lot worse than some spiteful hag's cruel words. Actually… Can you do me favor?"

"Anything," Ron nodded, and Sirius took out a closed letter from inside his crinkled robes.

"Can you give this to Harry tonight?" Sirius asked, and Ron took the letter and pocketed it. "I just want him to know my side of things, that's all." His side of things? As in why he keeps Pettigrew around? "How is he, by the way? And Remus? I hope I didn't embarrass him too much."

"First of all, you didn't do anything wrong," Ron started. "Why you kept that rat alive is your business, and it didn't deserve to be made public knowledge. As for Harry and Remus… They're upset."

"Upset?" Sirius asked, his face falling slightly.

"I won't lie to you, they haven't taken this well," Ron replied, deciding to be honest with the man. "When I went back to Hogwarts yesterday, I learned that they had both locked themselves away. Remus in his Office, and Harry in his room."

"Bloody hell…" Sirius rubbed his face. "He just started a new job, and I'm already fucking it up for him. She called him a damn thug in the article." Remus? Yeah, she did actually. 'Hogwarts' number one thugs'. "And Harry… Fucking hell, I bet he's the laughing stock of the entire school."

"I… I don't know what to say…" Ron admitted, and Sirius took in a deep breath.

"It's alright, kid, you don't need to say anything," Sirius said, and then his hands dropped down to his sides. "Just keep an eye on Harry for me, won't you?"

"I will," Ron promised. "And if any Slytherins try to start in on him, I'll cover for him."

"Thanks," Sirius smiled weakly, and then he looked Ron over properly. "How was your meeting with Madame Maxime? You didn't tell me that you were friends with the Headmistress of Beauxbatons, you sly dog."

"There's plenty about me that you don't know," Ron shrugged. "As for the meeting… It could've gone better."

"Shite, what happened?" Sirius asked.

"I got a loyal firm to help me, but it's gonna cost me two thousand Galleons extra," Ron replied, and Sirius grimaced. "Yeah… I know how much money that is. And you what the worst part is? I don't even have it."

"Look… I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I can-"

"Please don't," Ron cut him off, and Sirius nodded tiredly. "I already have someone who wants to help me, and if I go to you instead of her, she'll get really hurt." Ron then rubbed the back of his neck, his shoulders sagging down. "Everything was going perfectly, and now I'm…" Now I'm begging my girlfriend for money.

"Rough couple of days, huh?" Sirius mumbled, and Ron nodded his agreement.

"Damn the Daily Prophet, and every twat that works there," Ron said.

"I'll drink to that," Sirius chuckled softly. "Come on, pup. The others are waiting in the Living Room."

"The others?" Ron asked as Sirius began ushering him forward.

"Seb and Mary, your parents, and the Lovegoods," Sirius replied. "We've all been waiting for you to get back."

"Merlin, I forgot that Xeno wanted to speak with me," Ron sighed, he really didn't have it in him right now to do this.

"He's pretty broken up about this," Sirius told him. "He'd never do anything to damage your business on purpose, you know that right?"

"Whatever," Ron muttered, his entire body feeling extremely lazy. I just want to sleep. Or cuddle Daphne. I don't know…

"Just don't yell at him, please," Sirius pleaded, and Ron blinked at the man. "Look, he's feeling really guilty about this. It took Pandora almost two hours to settle him down last night. And this morning, he was pacing around the Burrow again."

"The Burrow?" Ron asked.

"Oh… Yeah, the Rookery is undergoing construction right now," Sirius replied, and Ron waited for him to go on. "The Lovegoods are staying at the Burrow right now, and I spent last night there as well. Passed out from drinking… Your dad, pup… He sure can drink a lot."

"Well, he is just over six feet tall," Ron stated. "And you're what? Ten inches?"

"Oh, I'm ten inches alright," Sirius laughed, and Ron rolled his eyes. Fucking ran head first into that one. "Anyway… We all got here a few hours ago, and we've been waiting ever since."

"Can't I just go back to Hogwarts?" Ron groaned. "My shitty day is far from over…"

"Just let him apologize, and then you can go back," Sirius put his arm around Ron's shoulders. "Plus, your parents are here too. Don't you want to see them?"

"Sorry, Sirius," Ron apologized. "I'm not trying to come across as whiny, but it's just been a long day. Of course I want to see them." I bet mum is feeling calmer now considering the fact that she's here. I just hope we don't get into another argument. Sirius led Ron into the Living Room, and Ron spotted the adults sitting on the couches.

"Look who I ran into," Sirius said, and they all looked towards Ron and Sirius.

"Hello," Ron greeted them in his usual way, his eyes lingering on Xeno. Calm. Stay calm.

"Son!" Arthur exclaimed, and then he quickly got up and pulled Ron into a tight hug. "It's really good to see you again!"

"You too, dad," Ron replied as he squeezed his old man.

"Oof… Getting stronger every day," Arthur chuckled as he pulled back. "Look at you… Molly, come see this. Doesn't he look dashing?"

"He does," Molly smiled from behind Arthur, her eyes scanning her son's expensive looking clothes. "How are you, dear?" Dear? You haven't spoken to me since the Holidays. Dear, she says…

"I'm doing well," Ron smiled at her, and her own smile widened because of his. "How are you both?"

"Getting by, as usual," his father replied. "Though we do wish that our children would write more often…"

"Ah, the guilt-trip," Ron chuckled weakly, and his father patted his left cheek lovingly.

"You're doing just fine, son," Arthur laughed. "But I haven't heard a word from Ginny, or the twins."

"Except for Percy's letter," Molly added. "Are you and Ginny really fighting?"

"No, mum," Ron sighed, and then his expression went blank. "Ginny has simply forgotten who her blood is." Molly and Arthur blinked at that, while Ron turned his attention towards Pandora. She was just giving him her airy smile from a loveseat, and Ron's eyes went to her slightly more visible belly. "And how are you?"

"I'm well, Ron," Pandora replied.

"Once again, I was talking to the baby," Ron smirked, and Pandora chuckled before beckoning him to her. Ron walked over and leaned down to hug her, and she planted a quick kiss on his right cheek.

"Let me look at you," Pandora said as Ron pulled back, and he gave her a pose. "I bet the girls at Beauxbatons loved you."

"They did try their allures, yes," Ron admitted.

"Really?" Molly asked, while Lord and Lady Greengrass lost their humor.

"It didn't work, so there's nothing to worry about," Ron waved a dismissive hand, and then he looked to Xeno. The man was giving him a very strange smile, one that was a mixture of guilt and joy. Seeing him made Ron angrier than he had thought it would, but Ron did his best to rein it in. "Hello, Xenophilius," Ron said coldly, his eyes digging into the eccentric man's.

"Can… Can we talk?" Xeno asked, his smile dying on his face.

"Of course," Ron replied with a nod, and Xeno stood up.

"I think it'd be better if we all talked about this together," Lord Greengrass said suddenly, his eyes fixed on Ron. Something wasn't right with his apprentice, he could see it. Ron's demeanor had changed within a second, and truth be told, Sebastian didn't want Ron to do something that he'd later regret.

"Pandora, didn't you want to speak with Ron alongside Xeno?" Mary asked, quickly picking up on her husband's plan.

"I did," Pandora nodded. "Ron, I'd really rather not stand up right now. My stomach isn't feeling too well." It's not?

"Do want to me to get you something?" Ron asked quickly, his eyes darting to her stomach.

"No, but let's just talk in here," Pandora smiled at him, and Ron nodded slowly.

"Take a seat, Ron," Lord Greengrass said, and Ron walked over to an empty sofa and sat down. Sirius, his parents, and Xeno all sat down as well.

"How did your meeting go?" Arthur asked him, and Ron lost all of his steam. It went to shite. Congratulations, dad… Your son is officially a beggar now.

"I secured the service of a French advertisement firm," Ron replied, his elbows resting on his knees.

"That's great, Ron," Molly smiled at him, though she could see that he wasn't happy.

"Not quite," Sirius piped in. "Tell them, kid."

"It's going to cost me two thousand Galleons extra," Ron sighed out, his eyes traveling between everyone.

"Two thousand?! For some ads?!" his mother exclaimed, and Ron rubbed his forehead with his gloved hand.

"It's not just some ads, it's an entire campaign," Lord Greengrass clarified. "Most of his new reader-base will be allured by this campaign. Without it, the business will fail to turn a profit."

"But still…" Arthur said, his face losing some of its color. "Isn't that a little… extreme?"

"Believe me, they let me off easy," Ron told them, and his parents looked utterly confused. Ron managed to spot Xeno shrinking into his chair, while Pandora was giving him a sorry look. "The only problem is that I'm a thousand Galleons short…"

"So you can't do the campaign?" Xeno muttered, his face falling even more. "I'm so sorry, my boy… I… I didn't mean for this to happen…"

"I can do the campaign," Ron said, and then he took in a deep breath. "But… But I'll have to ask for money…" And there it was again, that crippling sense of shame. A thousand fucking Galleons... That's the price of being my girlfriend. That's what she gets for being there for me. This is how I repay her allegiance to me.

"Ask for money?" Pandora asked, and Ron looked at her with a dead stare. Beg, not ask.

"Congratulations, Pandora," Ron drawled. "Your husband has turned me into a beggar." The whole room went dead silent, while Pandora's mouth hung open from shock.

"Ron… You can't say that…" Molly managed, her eyes darting towards her husband for support. Arthur Weasley was just staring at Xenophilius Lovegood, whose eyes were already getting watery.

"I… I'm… I'm sorry…" Xeno croaked, but Ron just stared at him. Your 'sorry' means nothing!

"Not as sorry as I am," Ron replied, not even a hint of compassion on his face. "You're lucky that you're a part of my Family, Xeno. Because if you weren't…" Ron trailed off, his stomach turning from shame and anger. We would have broken your hands.

---

Ten Minutes Later

Ron simply stared into the fire, the silence had gone on for ten minutes now. Xeno had closed in on himself, while his pregnant wife comforted him in quiet whispers. Ron's own parents were just sitting around awkwardly, their eyes stealing quick looks at him. Sirius had poured himself another whiskey, and was no doubt thinking about his own problems now. Lord and Lady Greengrass were whispering to each other, and Ron figured that they were thinking up a scheme in order to help him.

As for Ron, he could only stare into the fire. He was angry, disappointed, hurt, and full of shame. Once again, he was quite aware of his own pride, but that didn't stop him from feeling like shite. He knew that Daphne would help him out, but for some reason, that hurt him most of all. She would gladly help her leech boyfriend, who had actually fought with her yesterday because he didn't want to accept her money. Not only did that make him look weak, but it also proved to him that he was a fool.

Daphne had already foreseen that Ron would need to ask someone for money, but in his pride, he had neglected her wise counsel. He had spat upon her kind offer, and now, he was going to return to her with his tail tucked between his legs. And yes, he had thought about going to someone else. But he knew that Daphne would find out, and it would hurt her deeply to know that Ron had turned to someone else even though she had offered to help him first. He knew that going to someone else would result in Daphne feeling like she wasn't good enough for him, and he didn't want her to feel that way. If anything, he wasn't good enough for her.

"Ron, can we talk?" Lord Greengrass whispered, his hand landing firmly on Ron's left shoulder.

"Sure," Ron replied tiredly, and then he stood up.

"Let's go outside," Lord Greengrass gestured, and Ron nodded. As they began making their way out, Xeno quickly stood up and walked in-between them and the exit.

"Ron, I need to talk to you as well," Xeno said, an oddly resolute look on his face.

"About what?" Ron asked, he was now too tired to be angry with Xeno. I forgot to take my second dose today, and I've literally been in two countries since this morning.

"I'll resign…" Xeno said, and Ron blinked at him. "What I did… It was wrong… I've caused your business so much damage, and… And I betrayed your trust… I'll resign…"

"You'll resign?" Ron repeated, his eyes digging into Xeno's.

"It's what I deserve," Xeno admitted, and something in Ron's head snapped.

"You are not 'resigning'," Ron grit out, and Xeno blinked at him.

"Ron, ease up," Lord Greengrass started, but Ron ignored him. He says he'll fucking resign?! After fucking me over like this?!

"You are a shareholder, Xenophilius," Ron explained in a harsh tone. "Tell me, what happens when a shareholder wants to 'resign'?"

"I… I don't know," Xeno swallowed, was the boy always so tall? Ron took a step forward at that, his pale blue eyes glaring down at the shrinking Lovegood.

"I have to give them their shares back!" Ron yelled, and Xeno flinched.

"Ronald!" Molly shrieked, what gave him the right to yell at an adult?

"Six hundred Galleons! That's what I'll have to pay you back! You want me to beg for more money, is that it?!" Ron snapped, and Xeno quickly shook his head.

"You don't… have to pay me…" Xeno managed, and Ron fought the urge to strangle him.

"We have a contract," Ron hissed. "A Magically Binding contract… I can't not pay you back, that's not how things work. And even if I did fire you, which I can't because of your shareholder agreement, I'd have to find someone else to write in your section. So tell me, how does this help me in the slightest? Lord Greengrass, does Xenophilius 'resigning' help me?"

"No," Lord Greengrass replied, this was not going well.

"Kid, you're going too far here," Sirius stood up, a frown etched upon his face. "We get that you're angry, but yelling at Xeno isn't helping you either."

"You will not resign," Ron grit out, his attention focused solely on Xeno. "I get that resigning will make you feel better about betraying me, and yes, what you did is a betrayal, but you will not resign. Is that clear?" Xeno didn't reply, but he did give Ron a shaky nod. Ron then looked back at everyone in the room, and he wasn't at all surprised by what he saw. His mother and Sirius were frowning at him, his father looked utterly shocked, Mary was just massaging her temples, and Pandora… Pandora was looking at him like he was a stranger, as if she had never seen the man who was threatening her husband before.

"Ron, let's go," Lord Greengrass said as he lightly nudged Ron, and Ron turned around and marched out of the room. Yeah, just label me as the bad guy. It doesn't matter that he fucking betrayed me to Cuffe. It doesn't even matter that his self-righteous 'sacrifice' would put his Family under. I'm the bad guy because I raised my voice. It's perfectly fine to be 'disappointed' in me even though I constantly put all of you first.

"I'm going back to Hogwarts," Ron said as they exited the room, but Lord Greengrass stopped him by putting his hand on Ron's shoulder.

"That was unworthy of you, Ron," Lord Greengrass said firmly, and Ron frowned to himself. "Xenophilius made a mistake, a truly foolish mistake, but he is still your elder. You can't scream in his face like that. Your mother and father will have to apologize on your behalf now."

"You know what?" Ron asked as he turned to face his mentor. "I don't even care about that. If they feel the need to apologize to Xeno, then they can go ahead and do that. But as far as I'm concerned, I let him off easy. Believe me, if anyone else had buggered me over like this, I wouldn't have even bothered with a conversation." Ron and Lord Greengrass held eye contact for a few seconds, and then Lord Greengrass drew in a deep breath.

"Who are you going to ask for money?" Lord Greengrass asked. "Is it my daughter?"

"It is," Ron said, his voice wavering slightly. "I fought with her yesterday because I didn't want her money, and now I have to go and…" Ron trailed off, his stomach twisting again. "I'm such a fucking moron…"

"Don't say that," Lord Greengrass said, but Ron simply shook his head.

"She foresaw this, and I hopped onto my high horse and shut her down," Ron sighed, his head was starting to hurt once again.

"If it is my daughter who you are turning to, then why not just accept my money?" Lord Greengrass asked.

"Because she offered," Ron replied tiredly. "If I go to anyone else now, especially after that fight we had, she'll think that the problem lies with her. I can't let her think that, not when all of this is my fault. I'm just… powerless here…"

"We can always keep it a secret," Lord Greengrass suggested.

"She's too smart for that, and you know it," Ron argued, and Lord Greengrass nodded his agreement. "She'll find out that we all lied, and then she'll be even more hurt. No… No, I need to take responsibility for my mistakes. And Xeno… He has to live with his."

"He broke his contract when he talked to Cuffe, you know that right?" Lord Greengrass asked, and Ron nodded weakly. "You can legally fire him and not pay him single a Knut."

"And what happens to his Family after that?" Ron asked. "My Family…"

"To think that all of this happened because of one damn letter," Lord Greengrass sighed out. "Go back to Hogwarts, Ron. I'll deal with everyone here." Ron just nodded wearily, and then he began drifting towards the fireplaces. I just want this day to be over already.

---

Five Minutes Later

"Mr. Weasley," Snape drawled the moment Ron stepped through the fireplace, and Ron looked over to see the Potions Master sitting behind his desk. "How was your day?"

"It started off great, but it went down the toilet from there," Ron replied, and then he looked to an empty chair. "May I please sit?"

"Certainly," Snape nodded, and Ron sat down and relaxed into the chair.

"How was your day, Sir?" Ron asked.

"Tedious," Snape replied. "We finally finished with the Dueling Club's rankings, and are now preparing for the Club's launch in October."

"Am I still in Rank A?" Ron asked, and Snape gave him a curt nod. "Thank Merlin, some good news."

"All three of your brothers also made it into Rank A," Snape told him, and Ron blinked at him.

"Percy I can understand, but the twins?" Ron asked.

"They had a variety of Spells that they crafted themselves," Snape replied. "They passed the criterion needed to be accepted into Rank A. Not to mention that they won all of their matches yesterday."

"Good on them," Ron smiled a little, he couldn't help but feel proud of the twins. I'm glad that they're taking this seriously. This Club can really help a lot of people in the war to come.

"Did you manage to save your business?" Snape asked, and Ron nodded tiredly.

"I did, but it came at a cost," Ron replied. "Please… I don't want to talk about it."

"That's fine with me," Snape drawled, he couldn't care less. "The Headmaster returned while you were gone."

"He did?" Ron perked up, and Snape nodded.

"He was under the delusion that you'd be going to Grimmauld Place today," Snape replied.

"Shite," Ron sighed. "Is he angry?"

"With you, never," Snape replied, and Ron blinked at him. "I told him why you weren't at Grimmauld Place for the day, and he simply chuckled like a maniac. 'Isn't he driven?'… That's what he asked me."

"He's so weird," Ron muttered.

"Indeed," Snape drawled, and then he suddenly stood up. "Come, let's go speak with him."

"Now?" Ron asked as he too stood up.

"Obviously," Snape gave him a deadpan look, and then he walked over to the fireplace. "Headmaster's Office." With that, Snape threw a pinch of floo-powder into the fireplace. The fire blazed green, and both Professor and student stepped through it. "Albus, Mr. Weasley has returned."

"Ah, welcome," Dumbledore smiled at them, he was currently fidgeting with one of his silver instruments. "Ronald, you certainly look handsome today."

"Just today?" Ron asked haughtily, and then he managed to give the old man a weak smile. "Welcome back, Headmaster. How was your trip?"

"It did not go well," Dumbledore admitted, though he didn't look too bothered. "And yours?"

"It did not go well," Ron copied the old wizard, and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at him. "But I did manage to save The Quibbler."

"Let me know when you want to talk about our Horcrux issue," Snape said icily as he walked over and sat down. "It's not like it's important…"

"Why is he like this?" Ron whispered to Dumbledore, who simply chuckled.

"Too many fumes in that lab of his," Dumbledore joked, and then he walked over to his seat. Ron joined them quickly, taking a seat to Snape's right.

"I'll be going to Grimmauld Place next week," Ron assured them, and they both nodded. "What do I do if Sirius catches me snooping around?"

"Stun him, and then come to me," Dumbledore replied, and Ron blinked at him. "We cannot afford to be caught, Ronald."

"Isn't he a part of the Order?" Ron asked, he really didn't want to attack Sirius. It's kind of scary how easily Dumbledore said that.

"No one can know," Snape said, his cold eyes meeting Ron's. "If the wrong people find out, and then they get captured, our mission will fail. The Dark Lord cannot know that we have knowledge on the secret behind his immortality."

"Severus is right," Dumbledore told Ron. "Our actions must remain a secret until the right moment."

"What happens if all three of us get killed?" Ron asked. "Our secrets will die with us, and the Dark Lord will win."

"The Heads of Houses are aware of the Horcruxes," Dumbledore told him, and Ron was genuinely taken aback. "I had no choice but to tell them. They were there when the Diary was destroyed." That's right, they helped Dumbledore against the Heir and the Basilisk. "I have left behind instructions for Minerva in case all three of us perish."

"Wouldn't the Entity just restart the Cycle if you died?" Snape asked Ron, who simply shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe not," Ron replied, and Snape blinked at him. "Give me a break, it's not like that thing is my friend. It bloody hates me more than it hates the Dark Lord. If it realizes that my efforts have led to a Future where the Dark Lord eventually dies, then it might not restart the Cycle. But who knows? It has its own agenda."

"Is there a way for me to speak with it?" Dumbledore asked, and both Ron and Snape just stared at him.

"Are you insane?" Snape hissed.

"You have a death wish, is that it?" Ron frowned deeply. Fucking suicidal old loon.

"This creature is an unknown variable that can undo all of our work," Dumbledore said. "If we can secure its allegiance, then we would surely benefit-"

"No," Snape said firmly, a sneer marking his features. "You are suggesting that we turn to something far worse than the Dark Lord in order to defeat him… I will not serve another monster."

"I'm with Professor Snape on this," Ron said quickly. "This thing… Headmaster, you don't want this monster as your 'friend'. I don't think that it can understand how we humans think, and if you piss it off, I'm the one who'll suffer its wrath." Entity, if you're listening in, please ignore the old codger.

"It was just a suggestion," Dumbledore assured them. "Very well, we will leave it be."

"Thank you," Ron breathed out, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's.

"Whilst I was in Albania, I picked this up," Dumbledore said suddenly, and then he reached into his desk and pulled out a black leather pouch with strange white symbols on it. "Here, Ronald. It's for you."

"Me?" Ron asked, and then he reached forward and took the pouch. "What is it?"

"It's a pouch with a dozen different Protection Wards on it," Dumbledore replied, and Ron admired his new Magical Pouch. "If you do find the Horcrux this upcoming weekend, put it inside that pouch. It'll keep you safe from its Dark Magic."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Ron said, but Dumbledore simply waved a dismissive hand. "But… Do you really think that the Horcrux will just be lying around in Sirius' home?"

"No, I don't," Dumbledore replied. "But if Kreacher has knowledge of its location, and he takes you to it, I want you to be safe. What is that Muggle saying? Ah, yes… Better safe than sorry."

"And if you do run into it, don't try to destroy it on your own," Snape said in his cold voice. "Explaining your death is the last thing that we need right now."

"And I ask again, why are you like this?" Ron frowned.

"Experience," Snape drawled.

"Right…" Ron said slowly, shooting a quick look at an amused Dumbledore. "By the way… I saw Malfoy and Nott today. The older ones, that is."

"In France?" Dumbledore asked, his amusement completely gone.

"Near Knockturn Alley, actually-"

"Why were you at Knockturn Alley?" Snape asked, his eyes narrowing on Ron.

"Can I finish the story? Please?" Ron asked, and they both just waited for him to go on. "Anyway, I was heading towards Gringotts when I saw them. There was a murder in Knockturn Alley, and the Aurors shut down the whole district because of it."

"That's odd," Dumbledore said, his hand traveling to his chin. "Do you know who was murdered?"

"No, I don't," Ron replied. "But whoever it was, they were clearly important to the Aurors. I overheard them saying that Rufus Scrimgeour needed to be told."

"A mole," Snape said. "There's your answer."

"An informant?" Ron asked, and Snape nodded.

"The Aurors have a fair few of them planted within Knockturn Alley, it helps them keep tabs on the shadier individuals," Snape replied. "If they shut down the whole district, it means that one of their own got killed."

"So this informant was an Auror in disguise?" Dumbledore asked. "I must admit, I know very little of what happens within Knockturn Alley."

"No, most likely it was someone who got sick of their lot in life, and so they turned to the Aurors," Snape replied. "The Aurors provide them with protection, and they in turn report to the Aurors. But if someone got to their informant, it means that there's a potential leak. Could just be that the poor fool was killed over the price of a trinket, or he just looked at someone the wrong way. Either way, it hardly matters. What I find interesting is that both Lucius and Cornelius were there."

"Yeah, they were clearly up to something," Ron said. "I mean, they tried to incite a mob instead of answering a few questions."

"Those two need to be dealt with," Snape said, and Ron liked the sound of that.

"Dealt with how?" Dumbledore asked. "We can't just lock them away without any evidence, nor can we eliminate them without giving you away. When was the last time you spoke with them?"

"During the Holidays, right after Nott came back from Denmark," Snape replied.

"Merlin, it's been ages," Ron said. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping tabs on them?"

"Have you been a spy for longer than me?" Snape asked, and Ron raised his hands in surrender. "If I keep showing up in their lives uninvited, they will grow suspicious. None of us particularly like one another."

"Aren't you friends with Malfoy?" Ron asked. "Just go over to his place for dinner, or something."

"I agree with Ronald on this," Dumbledore said, his eyes traveling to Snape. "It's been too long, Severus. We need to know where they'll be looking next. With Voldemort missing, the chances of them finding him before us are exponentially higher now."

"I still say that we get rid of them," Ron piped in.

"And how do we do that without arousing suspicion?" Snape asked.

"We don't," Ron replied, and Snape blinked at him. "We find out where they're looking next, and once they leave the country, we intercept them."

"And kill them?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes analyzing Ron.

"Yes, we kill them," Ron replied, and Dumbledore shook his head. "What? We can't cross that line, is that it?"

"That is exactly it, Ronald," Dumbledore said firmly.

"Those two would have no problem offing you or me," Ron argued. "Hell, Malfoy tried to murder an eleven year old girl just last year. Do you think he cares about that?"

"So we become like them?" Dumbledore asked, and Ron drew in a sharp breath.

"I'm not saying that we find ourselves a fresh Hogwarts first year to murder," Ron replied, and Dumbledore looked to a quiet Snape for assistance. "These two men are Death-Eaters! They've killed Merlin knows how many people!"

"Ronald, there's a difference between doing what's easy and doing what's right," Dumbledore told him, his expression hardening. "Now enough of this."

"I have seen what happens if we don't stop them," Ron said, his hands clenching tightly. "I've seen what happens to this school! To my friends! To my Family! I watched Pansy get murdered by her own mother! These people… They don't think like us… To them, we're not even human. Why should we operate with our hands tied behind our backs, while they go about killing hundreds? Explain that to me. Explain to me why it's wrong to kill one person, but letting dozens get killed by that same individual is right."

"Because it's never just 'one person'," Snape told him. "You think that you're the first person to think like this? Well, you're not. You kill one of them, but then another person shows up to replace them. What do you do then? Do you just stop at one person? No, you don't. It's a slippery slope, boy…"

"So what happens when the war is here?" Ron asked them. "Do we run around throwing fucking Stupefies at people who are firing Killing Curses in return? It's no wonder that the Dark Lord spanked you lot in the first war."

"Careful," Snape hissed, but Dumbledore raised his hand to stop Snape.

"Four hundred and sixty three Cycles have failed," Ron told them both. "Think about that! You think we keep losing because of bad luck? No. We probably keep losing because we are operating in the wrong way. We are dealing with the symptoms, while the cancer is out there trying to bring back the Dark Lord." Ron then looked to Dumbledore, who was pinching the bridge of his crooked nose. "Until Crouch Snr gave the Kill Order, the Ministry was barely holding on. We all know that without that Kill Order, things would have turned out rather poorly for the Ministry."

"And how would your friend Theodore react to you killing his father?" Dumbledore asked, and Ron felt his body tense. "Tell me, what would your parents say if they were in this room with us? Would they be proud of you?"

"I…" Ron started, but then he stopped. His expression darkened, and he stared at Dumbledore coldly. "I don't need their love, I just need them to be safe. That's all that matters. That is Our purpose. Our only purpose."

"Gods…" Snape muttered, his blood freezing at the sight of Ron's crimson, toad-like eyes.

"Ronald," Dumbledore whispered, his hard expression morphing into a one of despondency.

"This conversation is over," 'Ron' snarled as he slowly stood up, and every candle in the room dimmed as Fawkes began to shriek. Snape slowly reached for his wand, while Dumbledore looked right into Ron's demonic eyes.

"This is not you, dear boy," Dumbledore said, and Ron blinked at him. "Don't turn into this. Don't become what you're trying to protect your Family from."

"Um… What are you on about?" Ron asked, his eyes returning to normal. "What happened to the lights? Wait… It fucking happened again, didn't it?"

"Thank Merlin," Snape breathed out, his goosebumps dying down. It truly terrified him how easily his Occlumency had shattered at the sound of the Entity's voice.

"What?" Ron asked them, Dumbledore's saddened look was starting to worry him. "What did I do?"

"You wanted to kill Lucius and Cornelius," Snape pointed out, his hand coming back out of his robes.

"I remember that," Ron said, and both men blinked at him. "What happened after that?"

"So that was still you," Dumbledore shook his head, it was hard to not notice the disappointment in his voice. "Severus, take Ronald back to his dorm. I think that he'll do well with some rest." What?

---

Five Minutes Later

"Seriously?" Ron asked Snape's back as the Potions Master opened the entrance to the common room. "You're not going to tell me what I said?"

"You will come straight to my Office after your classes end on Tuesday," Snape said, and Ron blinked at him. "Your Occlumency lessons will start immediately."

"Thank you for that, but still…" Ron said. "What did I do?"

"It wasn't you," Snape replied, and then he simply walked away. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that he was scared of being near me. Ron watched the man billow away, and after he had turned a corner, Ron walked into the common room. He was instantly met with the sound of laughter and loud talking, and he could smell fresh cookies. He looked around the common room, and oddly enough, the relaxed setting helped ease his mind a bit. But then he spotted his friends, and the sight of them made him feel like he was carrying a ton of bricks. Daphne. I almost forgot about asking her for money. Ron slowly walked over to them, and they greeted him with wide smiles.

"You're back!" Pansy quickly shot out of her seat in order to hug him, and while he patted her back, the others made room for him. They're playing Wizard's Poker. Looks like fun… Great, now I'm about to ruin their day as well. Maybe I should just fuck off to my room for the night?

"How did the meeting go?" Daphne smiled at him, but he couldn't manage one back. Should I ask her now? Ron looked to his friends, who were now quickly losing their happy faces. "Ron, what's happened?"

"Can I talk to you?" Ron asked her, and she nodded slowly. "Alone?"

"Sure," Daphne replied, and then she stood up.

"Ron, did it not go well?" Tracey asked him.

"You look exhausted, mate," Theo pointed out. "Why don't you sit around with us for a bit? And then you can talk to Daphne after dinner?" What would Theo say if I did kill his father?

"This is… Ahem…" Ron cleared his dry throat. "This is urgent."

"We can talk in my room," Daphne said, and then she gave the others a meaningful look.

"We'll deal you in for the next game," Blaise said, and Theo quickly rounded up the cards.

"Right," Ron muttered, and then he followed after Daphne. "Sorry about pulling you out of the game, you looked like you were winning."

"That's fine," Daphne shot him a smile. "Pansy and I were cheating anyway. You look really nice in that suit, by the way. And that trench coat is perfect. Is that the outfit that my mother picked out for you?"

"It is, and thanks," Ron said, why couldn't he fucking smile back?

"Did Madame Maxime refuse to help you?" Daphne asked as they began nearing her room.

"No, she helped me," Ron replied, and Daphne nodded slowly. "I even managed to secure an advertisement firm."

"Then what's wrong?" Daphne asked as she opened the door to her room, and Ron stepped inside. She quickly followed him in, and then she closed and locked the door. "Ron, you look utterly spent. Have you looked into a mirror? You're as pale as a ghost."

"I've had a long day," Ron sighed out, and then he looked around the room. "There are panties on the floor…"

"Bloody Tracey!" Daphne squealed as she quickly ran around him and started collecting them. "She just throws them away once she's done with them!" That's kind of gross.

"Doesn't she own a laundry bin?" Ron asked.

"These aren't dirty," Daphne huffed as she dumped them on Tracey's bed. "She was trying to find a perfect pair for today, and so she ransacked her own trunk. Sorry about this."

"No, it's not your fault," Ron said, and then he walked over to Daphne's bed. "Can I sit down?"

"Of course," Daphne said as she walked over to him. "Ron, you're starting to worry me. What's happened?"

"The firm is going to cost me four thousand Galleons in total," Ron replied as he sat down, and Daphne sat down to his left. "I… I have three thousand Galleons that I can use… I've got another eight hundred in my personal vault, but I want to save that for a rainy day…"

"Alright," Daphne nodded, she was starting to get a picture of why he was so distressed. How do I say it? Do I just ask her for money? Fuck! "You want to discuss my plan?"

"I… I'm really sorry, Daphne," Ron mumbled, his eyes stinging from shame.

"Ron, take a deep breath," Daphne said softly as she scooted closer to him, and then she started rubbing his back.

"I didn't even apologize for our fight yesterday, did I?" Ron sniffled.

"We made up, remember?" Daphne put her left hand on his left arm, all the while rubbing his back with her right one.

"I know, but I didn't say that I was sorry," Ron realized, which only made him feel like a bigger piece of shite. "You were right, and I was wrong. I… I need money…" Merlin, he wanted to keel over and die right now.

"No one has to know about this, Ron," Daphne whispered. "It can just be our secret."

"That's… That's not the point…" Ron sniffled, something that made him angrier with himself. Stop crying, you weak little bitch. "I'm… I'm really sorry that you have to…"

"I offered, Ron," Daphne told him. "I offered it to you. You're not forcing me into this."

"But I was so self-righteous about it," Ron muttered as he began to fidget with his hands, a couple of traitorous tears escaping his eyes. "And now here I am…" Ron sniffled again, and then a sob broke out of his throat. "I… I don't… know what's wrong with me, Daphne… I… I don't know how I can be so stupid…"

"People make mistakes, Ron," Daphne hugged his side. "And you're not stupid."

"You were probably having a great day until I showed up too," Ron sobbed out, his hands were starting to tremble again. "I'm such a fucking burden on you." Daphne tensed a bit at his sudden use of Parseltongue, but she didn't let go of him. "I'm really sorry…"

"Just lie down, Ron," Daphne managed, her own eyes were stinging because of how defeated he sounded.

"I can't… I'll fall asleep," Ron sniffled, and then he rubbed his face rather strongly. "I still have to do something…" Sirius gave me that letter, and I need to deliver it.

"I understand," Daphne said gently.

"I'll pay you back, I swear it," Ron promised, but that didn't make him feel any better. Daphne went to refuse his offer, but she stopped herself.

"Alright, Ron," Daphne agreed. "When your business takes off, you can pay me back."

"Tha… Thanks…" Ron hugged her back, and they just sat there until dinner.

---

Harry Potter's POV

Sunday 13th September, 1993 (The Great Hall – Dinnertime)

Harry's eyes were fixed to his meager plate, but occasionally, he fired a look at Remus or Dumbledore. He was meant to have his first lesson with Remus today, but he had skipped it because he was still angry with the man for lying to him about Pettigrew. Voldemort may have killed James and Lily Potter, but Pettigrew had signed their death warrants. I'll talk to Dumbledore right after dinner. He'll let me go and see Pettigrew. He'd better.

"Harry, eat this," Neville said as he placed another piece of Shepard's Pie onto Harry's plate.

"I'm not hungry, Nev," Harry sighed.

"Harry, you didn't eat breakfast or lunch," Hermione scolded him. "Not to mention that you skipped dinner last night as well. So eat properly right now, or I'll tell Professor McGonagall." Harry let out another sigh at that, he didn't want to argue with her right now.

"Alright," Harry consented, and then he took a bite out of his food. The food here is always amazing.

"Has Sirius owled you yet?" Neville asked, and Harry shook his head.

"It's only been a day," Harry pointed out. "He'll send one." He has to. I need to know why he's keeping Pettigrew around.

"We have Charms tomorrow morning," Hermione said suddenly. "Harry, did you manage to finish that essay?"

"No," Harry replied.

"Oh… You can use mine as a template, if you want," Hermione offered, and Harry looked to her. She was giving him a weak smile, and Harry felt a little soothed because of her kindness.

"Thank you, Hermione," Harry managed a smile back, and Hermione suddenly beamed. She's trying to help, they both are. I should stop sulking, but I can't stop thinking about Pettigrew. Harry was broken out of his thoughts by the annoying giggling of Lavender, Parvati, and Fay. The Trio looked to them in a subtle manner, and unsurprisingly, they were whispering and giggling to each other as usual.

"What's that about?" Neville asked Hermione, who just frowned at the three girls.

"How am I supposed to know?" Hermione asked back. "I'd have to lose a million brain cells in order to understand those three."

"Ouch," Neville sniggered, while Harry just watched them carefully. That's when he noticed that they were shooting looks at the Slytherin table, and so Harry followed their gazes towards Ron.

"They're giggling at Ron," Harry shook his head, and both Hermione and Neville looked to the redhead as well.

"Nice suit," Neville noted.

"He's back from France," Hermione stated the obvious. "I still don't understand how he got the Headmaster's permission for that. It's one thing that the Headmaster allows him to travel to Diagon Alley without permission, but to go to another country all by himself? That's too much…" Harry just listened to Hermione, a faint feeling of envy settling into his chest.

"They're Chess buddies," Harry said, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice. Dumbledore hasn't even spoken to me since the beginning of this year, but Ron has his permission to run off to France on a whim. There is something going on between those two, and it's not Chess.

"He looks kind of… sick, doesn't he?" Neville pointed out, and Harry shot Ron another look. The redhead looked horribly pale, his eyes were slightly agitated and red, and he was talking with Nott and Zabini with a dead-serious look. What are they talking about? Nott and Zabini seem to be listening to every word as if it's gospel.

"He does look sick," Hermione said softly, but then she turned her head back to her plate. "Not our problem."

"Hermione… He hasn't done anything wrong," Neville sighed, and Harry groaned to himself. This again… She lost one match, and she's still angry about it. I lost too, you don't see me throwing a fit.

"I didn't say that he did," Hermione said haughtily. "And it's none of your business, Neville."

"It is when I have to put up with it," Neville said firmly, and Harry couldn't help but agree with him. She's been having sudden outbursts of anger at us all day. How is it our fault that she lost to him?

"Put up with it?" Hermione snapped at Neville, but he simply stared at her.

"You're yelling at me, in case you haven't noticed," Neville said, and Hermione's face flushed. "It's just a friendly Dueling Club, Hermione. You don't have to take it so seriously."

"You're only saying that because you lost four out of five matches," Hermione blurted out, and Harry frowned at her.

"Hermione," Harry said, his eyebrows furrowing. "That was a cruel thing to say."

"I'm sorry that I want to win, which by the way, will net us House Points," Hermione huffed, her eyes going back to her plate. "Maybe you two should take things like this more seriously? I mean, I wish I was getting free lessons from Professor Lupin. But no, he's offering them to you, and you just skipped them."

"Whatever…" Harry waved her off, he didn't want to deal with her tantrum right now.

"Whatever," Hermione said back, while Neville let out a tired sigh.

"I'm going to go sit with Ginny and her friends," Neville said, and then he got up and left.

---

Twenty Minutes Later

"Professor Dumbledore, can I please talk to you?" Harry asked as he caught up to the old wizard, who turned around with twinkling eyes. Dumbledore had tried to leave dinner early, but Harry had made sure to follow after him in order to get permission to see Pettigrew.

"Of course, dear boy," Dumbledore smiled at him, and Harry smiled back. "What can I do for you?"

"Um… Have you read the Daily Prophet's article on Sirius?" Harry asked, he didn't know why, but he felt a little embarrassed for some reason.

"I have indeed," Dumbledore replied. "Don't think too much on it, Harry. Otherwise you give people like Miss. Skeeter the power that they crave."

"Right…" Harry said slowly, he had no idea what Dumbledore was on about. "The paper claimed that Pettigrew was still alive, and in St. Mungo's… Is that true?" I need to know if he knew about this.

"I do not know," Dumbledore replied, his features softening even more. "I have not seen Mr. Pettigrew since his trial."

"Well, Remus told me that he is," Harry said, and Dumbledore nodded to himself. "I was wondering if I could have permission to go to St. Mungo's in order-"

"No," Dumbledore declined, and Harry blinked at him. "I am sorry, Harry, but I cannot give you my consent on this. Seeing Mr. Pettigrew will only hurt you, believe me." Harry just stared at Dumbledore, and then he felt his blood boil.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Harry asked. "I should be able to see the man who murdered my parents if I want to."

"I'm sorry, my boy," Dumbledore said, his empathetic smile only serving to annoy Harry even more. "But as long as you are in this school, you have to follow the rules that we Professors set." Well, your rules are stupid! "Now, is there anything else that I can do for you?"

"No," Harry said coldly, and then he turned around and marched back towards the Great Hall. Bloody Ron can go all the way to France without supervision, but I can't even go to St. Mungo's? How is that fair?! As he turned to walk into the Great Hall, his path was blocked the by redheaded Slytherin himself.

"Hello," Ron greeted him in his usual way, and Harry bit back a frown.

"Hi," Harry said curtly, and then he tried to walk past the taller boy. But Ron stepped into his way, and Harry blinked at him.

"I need to talk to you about something," Ron said, his pale face giving Harry a tired smile. "In private, that is."

"What is it?" Harry asked, but Ron just gestured him towards the exit of the Entrance Hall.

"It's about Sirius, mate," Ron whispered, and Harry's ears perked up.

"You saw him?" Harry asked quickly as they began to head out, and Ron gave him a nod.

"I saw him today-"

"How is he? Did he get my letter? Did he say anything about Pettigrew?" Harry asked, and Ron processed his questions.

"He's having a rough time, but he's managing just fine," Ron started. "I don't know if he got your letter, and he didn't mention Pettigrew."

"You didn't ask him?" Harry asked hotly.

"It's… It's not really my business," Ron replied slowly, and Harry couldn't help but frown at him.

"Don't you care about him?" Harry asked, and Ron shot Harry a rather dangerous look. But it disappeared as soon as it came.

"Of course I do, Harry," Ron replied. "You know that I love him."

"Then why didn't you ask about Pettigrew?" Harry asked as they stepped into the Courtyard.

"Because the bloke didn't want to talk about it, and I'm not going to twist his arm," Ron sighed out, and then he rubbed his face as he came to a stop. "Here, he gave me this for you." With that, Ron took out a letter and handed it Harry.

"This is from Sirius?" Harry asked, his hands quickly breaking open the Black Family seal. Ron said something, but Harry completely ignored it. His eyes were already reading through the letter.

Harry,

I know that you're angry, and I don't blame you. This whole mess is my fault, and you're paying for it. I just wanted to check up on you and Remus, I really hope that you two are being there for each other.

This is hard. I bloody hate writing letters. I've never been very good at this sort of communication, it was always your dad's forte. His love letters were legendary.

Ignore that top bit please. Right… The paper was sort of right, but Harry, we were never thugs. Sure we played some pranks, but it was all just good fun. Nothing more. And no, we were never favored. Not even once. Skeeter is just trying to siphon attention from an age old debate. Ignore her, I know I am.

As for Peter, she got that right. I am keeping him alive, but it's not because I like torturing dead bodies. I just needed to. It's hard to explain, but I couldn't let him go. Your mum and dad, Remus, and Peter were all I had in my life. They were always there for me, and I still needed that. With your mum and dad gone, I felt the need to hold onto my old family. This is so hard.

I know that it isn't exactly healthy, nor is it morally right, but I can't change the past. But what I can do is to fix my mistake.

Firstly, I need to apologize to you. And no, not with some letter. I'll meet you during your first Hogsmeade Weekend, and we can talk in person. I shouldn't have lied to you, but I did. Seeing him wouldn't have helped you, just as it didn't help me. He's gone, and we need to move on.

Which brings me to the second thing. I'm going to have them euthanize Peter's body. It's about time that I leave my past in the past. You are my Future, Harry, and from this day on, I'll only focus on you.

P.S: Hedwig is here, and I'll be sending her back with another letter.

Your Godfather,

Sirius Orion Black.

Harry stared at the letter for a few seconds, and then he looked to at the back of it. That's it?

"Something wrong with it?" Ron asked, and Harry quickly pocketed it.

"No, it's just…" Harry started, but he didn't know what to say. I expected more. This letter is… It's not good enough! I'm not waiting for another month before I get to speak with Sirius about this! And what's this about euthanizing Pettigrew?! I want to see him, why can't they understand that?!

"Did it not meet your expectations?" Ron asked, and Harry nodded. "Sorry, mate."

"No, that's fine," Harry said rather coldly, and then he gave Ron a curt nod. "Thanks for delivering it."

"No worries," Ron said, and then he looked around awkwardly. What's wrong with him? "If want to talk, Harry… Then I'm right here."

"Talk?" Harry asked, and Ron rubbed the back of his neck. Wait… "Did Sirius tell you to 'watch over me'? Or some other nonsense like that?"

"Actually, he did ask me to do that," Ron started, and Harry once again felt his blood boil. "But I wanted to talk to you anyway. I tried finding you yesterday, but you weren't around. If you need anything, you can just come to me. Oh, and I'll keep the Slytherins away from you as well. Some of them can be really-"

"I don't need you to babysit me," Harry grit out, and Ron looked rather startled. "I mean seriously, do you have any idea how condescending you can be?" Does he talk to everyone like this? Well, I'm not one of his lackeys!

"Woah, ease up there," Ron said, his awkward demeanor disappearing completely. "I'm just trying to be there for you, that's it. Now if you don't want to talk to me, then don't. But there's no need to take your anger out on me. I'm just delivering a message."

"No, you just said that you'll keep your House-mates away from me," Harry argued. "What? You think that I can't deal with them myself? Is that it? Well, I can take care of myself, despite everyone in the World thinking otherwise."

"I didn't say that you couldn't," Ron said, his sickly face getting flushed. "All I offered was some help, but if you don't want it, then that's your prerogative." With that, Ron turned around and left.

"I didn't ask for your help in the first place!" Harry called out after him, but Ron just walked back into Hogwarts without even looking back. I'm so sick of people constantly making decisions for me! I'm going to go see Sirius this weekend, and I don't care what the Professors have to say about that!

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Tuesday 15th September, 1993 (Snape's Office – After Classes)

"Madam Pomfrey has informed me that you didn't attend your session with her yesterday," Snape drawled, and Ron nodded. "May I ask why?"

"It's been a rough few days," Ron shrugged. "And she'll make me talk about them when I just don't want to. So, yeah…"

"I see," Snape nodded. "But I must inform you, Mr. Weasley, that in order to learn Occlumency, one must learn to clear their minds of all emotions. Your sessions with Madam Pomfrey are a good way for you to 'unload' your burdens."

"I… I didn't think about that," Ron admitted. "I'm sorry." Snape cocked an eyebrow at Ron's quick apology, this was new. "Is something wrong, Sir?"

"You tell me, Mr. Weasley," Snape replied, and Ron blinked at him. "You seem… distracted." Oh. Well, I am a little… scattered.

"Like I said, it's been a rough few days," Ron said. "I just took a lot of hits, and I'm trying to recover from that, but believe me, I'm here to learn."

"Good," Snape said, and then he reached into his desk and pulled out a purple hardcover book. "This will be your greatest ally in our lessons. Here." Ron took the book from Snape, and he eyed it critically.

"An Introduction to the Art of Occlumency: Learn to Protect Your Mind from Your Neighbors," Ron read the title on the cover of the book, and then he looked to Snape with a confused look. "My Neighbors?"

"Ignore that," Snape said coldly, his face an expressionless mask. "I will start by giving you a simple introduction into what Occlumency is, and then you will finish the first two chapters of that book. This is, after all, a detention."

"Learning new Magic hardly seems like a punishment to me," Ron stated, and Snape just stared at him. "I mean… Darn it! Not reading! I hate-"

"Shut up," Snape bit out, and Ron nodded to himself. I kind of asked for that. "Your 'humor' is not appreciated. Now be quiet, and listen for a change."

"You must be so much fun on dates," Ron remarked, and Snape nearly reached across the table in order to strangle him. "Am I getting to you? I thought you were a Master Occlumens?"

"The fact that you are still breathing is a testament to my skill as an Occlumens," Snape hissed, and Ron nodded firmly.

"Right, let's get started then," Ron sat up straighter, while Snape used his Occlumency to find his center again. If I can learn to control my temper like Snape, then this could really help me out. Quite a few of my problems start because I can't keep myself in check sometimes.

"An amateur will tell you that Occlumency is simply the Art of resisting Legilimency, but this is false," Snape started, and Ron listened intently. "Occlumency is the Art of disciplining one's mind, and through that discipline, one can learn to protect themselves."

"From Legilimency?" Ron asked, and Snape nodded.

"Legilimency, negative emotions, outbursts of anger, panic… the list is quite long," Snape replied. "But countering Legilimency is Occlumency's greatest gift. In the past, the Dark Lord established himself as the greatest Legilimens to have ever walked this Earth."

"He did?" Ron asked.

"Indeed," Snape replied. "He could destroy a lesser wizard or witch simply by looking into their minds, and once he was in, he'd tear their minds asunder with images of pain and death. I once saw him turn a respected Auror into a blubbering infant within a minute." Sweet Merlin…

"We're dead," Ron muttered. "We're so fucking dead…"

"Listen," Snape said coldly. "The traditional way to teach someone Occlumency is with the use of Legilimency, but unfortunately for us, we can't do that with you. So, you will learn it the way I learned it. Meditation."

"As in relaxing?" Ron asked.

"In a way, yes," Snape replied, and Ron was rather surprised that he was right. "You must learn to cast out all emotions and thoughts, and simply… exist. Your mind must become blank and empty, and it mustn't let any noise in. That is how one negates Legilimency. If the attacker has nothing to use against you, then their assault is useless. Can you do that? Can you clear your mind?"

"I've never really tried," Ron replied, and Snape gestured him to try. Alright, here I go. Ron took in a deep breath, and after closing his eyes, he sat completely still. No thoughts. No emotions. I feel nothing. I am empty. Nothing can get in. Wait… No thoughts, right? Is thinking in my head considered thoughts? That's a question for the Ravenclaws, I'm sure. Right, I am completely neutral. I am Snape, only better looking. I am-

"Stop smirking," Snape hissed, and Ron fixed his face.

"Sorry," Ron said, and then he opened his eyes. "This is really hard. I can't even think?"

"What part of blank and empty didn't you understand?" Snape asked. Blank and empty, the perfect words to describe Snape's sex life.

"How long did it take you to master it?" Ron asked.

"By the end of my schooling, I was capable of hiding my thoughts from Albus Dumbledore himself," Snape smirked, and Ron was genuinely impressed.

"Well, I did it in my second year," Ron said, and Snape lost his smirk.

"You did nothing," Snape reminded him, but Ron simply shrugged.

"Still counts," Ron said casually, and Snape grimaced because of his tone.

"No… It doesn't," Snape snarled, and Ron smiled widely at him. "Weasley, I'll tear your throat out!"

"Master Occlumens, my arse," Ron laughed, and Snape suddenly brandished his wand and Non-verbally silenced him. "MMM!"

"That's better," Snape smirked, and Ron frowned at him. Fucking cocksucker. "Now, try meditating again." Ron pointed to his mouth, but Snape simply kept smirking. Fine! Ron closed his eyes, and then he took in a deep breath. Nothing is wrong. It's not like my mouth is Magically sealed shut or anything. I am calm. And bored. Merlin, do I just sit here for the next four hours? And this will happen every Tuesday? Good lord, kill me please.

---

Four Hours Later

Dinner had already started, and Ron was following Snape towards the Great Hall. The Overgrown Dungeon Bat of Hogwarts still hadn't unsealed Ron's mouth, and as much as Ron hated to admit it, the lesson had gone over more smoothly because of it. He had managed to read both the first chapters the Occlumency book, even if they were quite useless.

They pretty much re-explained what Snape had told him, with a few 'helpful' tips and tricks to use in order to clear one's mind. But the truth was that Ron wasn't exactly an emotionless person. If anything, he was far too emotional. It wasn't that he got upset often, the last few days not counting, but he enjoyed laughing and making jokes. And his temper was easily riled up. And yet, Ron had no intention of stopping these lessons. Even he could see the value of being able to control one's emotions, and that story about the Dark Lord had scared him straight. The last thing he wanted was for his friends to be turned into mindless infants, and so he planned to teach them whatever Snape taught him.

"MMM!" Ron moaned as they neared the Great Hall, and Snape turned to look at him.

"My, my…" Snape smirked, and Ron rolled his eyes. "I forgot that you were even there. Tell me, why shouldn't we make this change permanent?"

"MMM!"

"Nothing to say?" Snape asked, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Is that a yes?" Ron suddenly gave Snape the bird, and Snape lost his smirk. "Thirty points from Slytherin, Weasley!" Ron simply shrugged at that, and Snape had to use his Occlumency to calm himself down. Yeah, bitch. I don't need my voice to piss you off. Snape then took out his wand and undid the Silencing Charm, and Ron groaned as he fixed his jaw.

"Two things…" Ron breathed out. "One, you're a jerk. Two, can you teach me that?" It'd be rather handy during a Duel, I reckon. I'll easily defeat people who can't use Non-verbal Magic.

"It's the Silencing Charm, and if you want to learn it, then learn it on your own," Snape said coldly, and Ron nodded to himself. Silencing Charm. Remember that, Ron. "And… Thirty points to Slytherin… For your inquisitiveness…" Same house, mate. If I lose, you lose.

"Hehe," Ron chuckled, and Snape billowed away towards the Great Hall angrily. "Ow… My jaw…" Ron massaged his face as he walked towards the Great Hall, eager to finally eat some food. As he stepped into the bursting Great Hall, he spotted the twins getting yelled at by McGonagall. They were both sniggering, until McGonagall smacked one of them with a rolled up parchment. Yeesh. Did they fail one of her tests? Or did they get caught pranking someone? Ron shook his head clear, and then he walked towards his friends.

"He lives," Theo smirked at him as he sat down in his usual spot, and Ron gave him a pat on the back.

"So, how was detention?" Blaise asked, while the girls smiled at him.

"Tedious," Ron replied, and then he began making himself a plate. "Anything happen while I was away?"

"They published the rankings for the Grand Dueling Tournament," Tracey replied, and Ron looked up with a curious look.

"Did they really?" Ron asked, and everyone except Daphne nodded. "Well?"

"Shall I?" Millie asked the other, who simply shrugged. "Right… You're in Rank A, which isn't really surprising because of your Wandless Magic. Blaise, Theo, and I are in Rank C."

"Rank C?" Ron asked, and they all shrugged once again. They won most of their matches though.

"Most of the Rank B's are fifth and sixth years, with a couple of fourth years mixed in," Theo told him. "Rather off-putting really… I deserved a spot in that Rank."

"Whatever you say, 'four out of five'," Blaise smirked, and Theo gave him the bird.

"Damn Granger and her perfect Shield Charm," Theo grumbled, while the girls laughed at his expense.

"Anyway," Mille restarted. "Daphne, Pansy, and Tracey are in Rank D." Ron quickly shot a look towards Daphne, and unsurprisingly, she was simply eating her food. She's bothered about that, and so she's completely shut down emotionally. Damn, she'd make a great Occlumens.

"The Triumvirate?" Ron asked.

"Carey Ductu and Clara Martyris are in Rank B, while Samantha Selwyn is in Rank A," Pansy replied, and Ron nodded to himself. "Carey and Clara aren't really Duelists, in my opinion. They had the knowledge, but they aren't fighters."

"Pansy, the expert on Duelists," Tracey chuckled, while Pansy smirked at her.

"Jealous much?" Pansy asked, but Tracey simply winked at her.

"And the Trio?" Ron asked, but he already had a good idea about their Ranks.

"Longbottom is in Rank A," Theo sniggered.

"Shite, I'm doomed," Ron joked, and Theo shook his head 'sadly'.

"Potter and Granger are in Rank C, like us," Millie said. "Longbottom is in Rank D."

"Hermione is Rank C?" Ron asked, that was surprising.

"Load of fifth, sixth, and seventh years displayed Non-Verbal Magic, and she only showcased two Spells," Blaise pointed out, and Ron nodded slowly. I guess that makes sense. Plus, I did hand her a loss.

"Truth be told, they pretty much favored the older students," Tracey said casually.

"Well, they do know more Spells than us," Blaise said, and Tracey sighed overdramatically.

"Must you always be the voice of reason, Blaise?" Tracey asked him, and he shrugged aloofly. "It's a good thing that you're handsome, otherwise you'd just be boring."

"Shame you don't have either things going for you," Blaise smirked, and Tracey feigned hurt.

"Don't listen to him, Trace," Ron piped in. "I think you're pretty."

"Thanks," Tracey smiled at him, and then she poked her tongue out at Blaise.

"Arse-kisser," Blaise whispered to him.

"I'll kiss yours if you're not careful," Ron whispered back, and Blaise scooted away from him. "That's right, Blaise. You skulk away…" Ron's eyes then darted towards Daphne again, and he noticed that she still hadn't looked up from her plate. Damn, being in Rank D must really be bothering her. Ron suddenly felt someone kick his shin, and he looked to each of the girls. Pansy was just staring at him, and when he stared back, she nudged her head towards Daphne. Yes, Pansy, I'm not blind.

"So Millie…" Theo started, and Millie looked to him. "I hear that the Chocolate Frog Cards Club is opening next week." For fucks sake.

"Theo…"

"Can you not?"

"Leave her be."

"So?" Millie huffed, her eyes narrowing on him.

"Are you going-" Theo suddenly jerked forward, and then he glared at Tracey. "That hurt!"

"I didn't do it," Tracey quickly defended herself.

"It was me," Pansy said sweetly. "Next one lands on your crotch, so think carefully before you say anything."

"Ohhh," Ron and Blaise called out, while Theo crossed his legs.

---

Tuesday 15th September, 1993 (The Boys' Room – After Dinner)

"What do you want to talk about?" Daphne asked as she closed the door behind her.

"Lock that," Ron said, and Daphne did as she was told.

"I foresee kisses in my Future," Daphne suddenly smirked, and then she began to walk towards him.

"I wanted to talk about the Rankings," Ron said, and Daphne stopped walking.

"Oh…" Daphne muttered, her smirk dying on her face.

"Are you alright, Daph? You barely said a word during Dinner," Ron said as he sat down on the edge of his bed, and then he patted the spot to his right. Daphne exhaled loudly before walking up to him, but instead of sitting down, she simply hovered in front of him. Alright then. She kicked his feet lightly, and once he spread open his legs a bit more, she just stood in-between them with a miserable pout on her pretty face.

"Rank D, Ron," Daphne whispered, her Ice-Queen persona dead and forgotten. "They put me in with the second years…"

"I'm sorry about that," Ron sighed, and then he slowly put his hands on the sides of her hips. Don't slap me! She didn't seem to be bothered by that, and Ron relaxed a little.

"My father is going to hear about this, and once he finds out that you're in Rank A, he'll probably start giving me the cold shoulder," Daphne whined.

"Really?" Ron asked, and she gave a weak nod.

"Greengrasses don't land in Rank D," Daphne said. "This is exactly why I didn't want to join this stupid Club. Rank D… The lowest of the low…"

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Ron said rather gently.

"Ahem… Is that you, Ron?" Daphne asked, and he blinked at her. "You would usually say something about me 'not trying hard enough', and that I deserve to be in Rank D." I thought about it, but what's the point? It'd just hurt her needlessly.

"Maybe I'm learning," Ron suggested, and Daphne managed a weak smile.

"Or maybe you're too upset to start another fight," Daphne countered. "Seriously, it's only been two days since your business nearly went under… How are you so fine?"

"I'm not," Ron admitted, and Daphne waited for him to go on. "Every time I think of Xeno, or anything to do with The Quibbler, my blood begins to boil. I mean seriously, he talked to the enemy without a second thought. How bloody naïve do you have to…" Ron trailed off, he was getting heated again. Calm down, Ron. Daphne is the one who needs to be comforted this time. "I'm just putting it aside… It's already happened, and I can't do shite about it anymore. Once I've payed you your money back, I'll fully forget this mess. Now, talk to me." A thousand Galleons… Merlin, I can't believe she gave me that much money. I'm going to pay it back as soon as I can.

"What about?" Daphne asked.

"About how we make you the Champion of Rank D," Ron replied, and Daphne looked rather surprised. "If you're in Rank D, then you might as well win it. Right?"

"Do you ever give up?" Daphne asked, and Ron shook his head rather dramatically. "Stop that, you dolt."

"Was that a cute little giggle in your voice just then?" Ron smirked, and her lips twitched upwards. "So? What do you think of my dastardly scheme?"

"I'm in the same Rank as your sisters," Daphne pointed out.

"You're right, I should teach them instead," Ron joked, and Daphne pinched his right cheek. "Ow… Ow… Stop…"

"Are you really going to show me how to win?" Daphne asked as she let go of his cheek. "What about Pansy and Tracey?"

"Is it really that strange to you that I want you to win?" Ron asked, and she simply shrugged. "Yes, Daphne, I want you to win. Do you want to win?"

"Obviously, Ron," Daphne replied.

"Then I'll give you extra tutoring," Ron said. "But you have to promise me that you'll take it seriously. Promise?"

"I promise," Daphne agreed, and Ron gave her his best smile. "Thanks… I know that you'll be going up against the best in the school, so you taking time to help me really means a lot."

"No worries, Daph," Ron said. "I'd do anything for you." Daphne stilled at that, and she just began to stare at him. What? What's with that surprised look? "What is it? Did I… Did I say something weird?"

"You just said that you'd do anything for me," Daphne pointed out, she hadn't seen that coming. "Is that really true?"

"Um… Yes," Ron replied slowly, he really didn't want it to sound creepy. "Was that creepy? If so, then I won't-"

"Stop ruining it," Daphne smiled, and then she leaned forward and kissed him rather strongly. Oh… When she finally pulled back, Ron's lips felt a little sore. "We haven't kissed in ages… Isn't that weird?"

"It's been a busy few days," Ron gave her a wavering smile, while she just smiled her mischievous smile.

"But now we have some alone time," Daphne hummed, and Ron nodded rather eagerly. "Move back a bit." Ron did as she asked, and she put her left knee on the edge of his bed. As Ron smiled excitedly, her knee slipped and she fell forward. Ron had a microsecond to react before her elbow smashed into his gonads, and Ron let out a bloodcurdling howl.

"MY FUCKING BALLS!" Ron screamed, his stomach tightening from pain.

"RON! I'm so sorry!" Daphne shrieked, while Ron turned to his side with his hands covering his abused manhood.

"Fuck sake!" Ron snapped, and then he pushed his face into the mattress and howled once again. Fuck! "My stomach is hurting… What the fuck, Daphne?"

"I'm so sorry," Daphne fussed, her hands patting him down in a panicky manner. "Merlin, Ron… I really didn't mean that… Your face is turning purple…"

"Fuck…" Ron groaned, his eyes were starting to sting. "I think you broke my testicles…" Daphne flushed at that, and then she quickly took out her wand.

"I'll fix them…" Daphne said shakily. "Ron, move your hands…"

"What? No!" Ron hissed. "Get your wand away from mine…"

"What?!"

"I don't know…" Ron groaned again, he could feel the pain traveling up into his stomach. "Move." Daphne hopped off of the bed, and Ron slowly got up and leaned against the post. "Bathroom…"

"Alright," Daphne nodded quickly, her face was completely flushed. She then helped him to the bathroom, and Ron limped inside and locked the door. Merlin! He quickly took off his pants, and then he gingerly checked for any damage. They were incredibly sore, but as far as he could tell, they weren't broken. Do testicles break? Fuck sake… It's just my damn luck that the first time a girl touches me below the belt, she all but unmans me in the process.

"Episkey…" Ron chanted as he aimed his wand at his sore man-parts, and they suddenly felt very hot and then very cold. "Goo… Good lord… That felt weird…" Luckily, the pain began to subside. Ron let out long breath, and then he pulled his pants up. And then, he stepped out of the bathroom. Daphne was just standing by the door, her face a mixture of guilt and embarrassment.

"Are… Are they alright?" Daphne asked, and Ron just stared at her. "What? They're not?"

"We will never speak of this again," Ron said, his own ears turning bright red. "Ever. To anyone. Got it?"

"Sorry," Daphne gave him a guilty smile.

"Elbow first, Daph… Who the fuck falls elbow first?" Ron asked her, it was taking everything in him to not start yelling. A nervous laugh escaped her mouth, but she quickly planted her hands on her mouth. "This is funny to you? You have potentially murdered my Future children, and even if they survived that onslaught, they will not be coming out right…" Daphne let out a bizarre laugh at that, and Ron's face began to burn. This witch…

"Get your wand away from mine!" Daphne wheezed, her laughter never ending. Ron just stared at her as her laughter turned hysterical, and as she bent forward and released a loud cackle, Ron simply began to leave for the common room. "No… Stop…" Daphne laughed, her voice barely coming out. "I can't breathe… HAHAHAHA!"

---

Wednesday 16th September, 1993 (Potions Classroom – End of Potions Club)

"This is acceptable," Snape drawled as he stared into Ron and Hermione's cauldron in order to assess their Babbling Potion. "You are both excused." Hermione immediately gathered up her things and all but bolted out of the room, leaving behind two rather confused wizards. "Mr. Weasley, what was that?"

"I honestly don't know," Ron frowned deeply. "She didn't speak to me at all, and just went about with her own work. I had to look over her shoulder in order to find out which step she was on. Please stop pairing me with her, otherwise I'll genuinely stop coming to this Club."

"The Headmaster-"

"Did you not just see how quickly she left, Sir?" Ron asked, and Snape shot a look at the open door. "Ever since our Duel, she's been particularly upset with me."

"You did embarrass her in front of the entire school," Snape pointed out, and then he seemingly lost all interest in Ron's strained friendship with Hermione. "Your work here is done, you may leave." Right… So much for having a chat. Ron gathered up his things, and after giving Snape a parting nod, he made his way towards the Slytherin common room. Who acts so shitty after losing a match? I get that she's the smartest person in our year, but shite… Learn to have some damn humility.

"Purity," Ron said to the entrance, and as usual, he rolled his eyes at the absurd password. "It's like they want to people to hate us." As Ron stepped into the common room, he spotted his friends sitting by the fire as usual.

"Hello," Ron greeted them, and then he took a seat in between Tracey and Daphne.

"Sure, Ron, sit right between us," Tracey chuckled, and then she hugged his side. "How's my cuddly big man?" Her what?

"Ron, we're trying to play a game here," Theo frowned a bit, his eyes narrowing on Ron.

"I just sat down," Ron defended himself, and then he looked around at everyone's sweets. Betting treats as opposed to money… I like it. "Daphne, can I have that chocolate frog?"

"No, Ron," Daphne pulled it behind her, and then she handed him one licorice wand. "The frogs are worth a hundred Galleons."

"We made up our own currency," Pansy giggled, though she barely had any treats left.

"How was Potions Club?" Blaise asked, he was more interested in Ron's day with Granger. "Did Granger behave?"

"She didn't say a damn word all throughout the Club," Ron sighed out, and then he devoured his licorice wand. His eyes greedily darted back towards Daphne's pile, and she handed him another licorice wand.

"Last one," Daphne huffed indignantly.

"Thanks," Ron grinned, and then he looked back to Blaise. "But yeah… She wasn't happy with me."

"She spent all of Runes firing glares at him every time he answered something right," Blaise told them others, who all slowly nodded. "And since Professor Babbling loves asking Ron questions-"

"She was frothing at the mouth by the end of class," Ron said, and then he blew raspberries. "It's like we're in first year again."

"Cut ties with her," Tracey coughed, and Ron poked her side. "Hey, stop it!"

"No!" Ron hissed as he kept poking at her, while she giggled hysterically.

"And Potter is still upset with you?" Millie asked, and Ron stopped tickling Tracey.

"Yeah, but I think that he's angry about something else," Ron replied. "I was probably just the person he went off on."

"This study session on Friday is going to be so awkward," Pansy sighed dramatically.

"Just stay with the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs," Ron suggested. "The Trio never join the rest of us anyway."

"By the way," Daphne quickly interjected. "Theo and I invited the Slytherin second years to join us. I hope that that's fine with you."

"Sure," Ron smiled at them. "The more the merrier."

"You have to help us with that lot, mate," Theo pleaded. "They are the epitome of annoying and lazy."

"I know what you mean," Ron smirked, and everyone rolled their eyes. "C'mon, that was funny…"

"No," Tracey scolded him. "Bad dog." Ow.

"I'm not a dog," Ron huffed out. "But sure… I'll help with the second years."

"This really is a three man job, and since Malfoy is missing, we could use the extra hands," Daphne said, and Ron's ears perked up.

"Missing?" Ron asked.

"He disappears after classes," Pansy replied a little too quickly, which earned her a deadpan look from her female friends. "What? Ron asked a question…"

"Stop it, you three," Ron said, and then he looked back to Pansy. "Disappears?"

"He comes back to the common room, but after that, he goes off somewhere," Pansy replied. "It's why none of us have run into him all year."

"Where does he go?" Ron asked.

"No one really knows," Blaise replied. "Actually… It's more like no one really cares to ask."

"He had his chance," Theo simply shrugged. "We tried our best, Blaise. This is on him, and he should learn to deal with it himself. Plus, I really don't want us getting caught up in his problems." Sorry to break it to you, but I've already fucked that up for us. Still, Malfoy disappearing like this is a little alarming. I'll use the Marauder's Map to find out where he goes.

"Incoming," Millie pointed out, her eyes darting towards an approaching Samantha Selwyn.

"Ron, a word?" Samantha said, her expression blank as usual.

"Sure," Ron said as he stood up.

"Hand me your things, I'll put them in our room," Blaise said, and Ron handed them over with a grateful smile.

"Right, I'm all set," Ron said to Samantha, and she began to walk towards the Slytherin Potions Lab. Ron quickly followed after her, his eyes lingering on her long black hair. It reaches her bum… How does she manage to keep it so smooth?

"Eyeing me in public, Ron?" Samantha asked, and Ron quickly looked forward.

"You have nice hair," Ron said, and she smirked at him.

"Thank you," Samantha said, and Ron nodded to himself. "So, we both made it into Rank A of the Dueling Club… Any thoughts?"

"I hope you enjoy the taste of sand," Ron replied, and Samantha chuckled softly.

"We'll see, Ronald. We'll see," Samantha said with a soft smile, which she quickly hid. "Just don't get too physical with me please. I don't mind a little rough play, but I'm still a Lady."

"Rough play?" Ron snorted. "You make it sound rather appealing."

"Flirt," Samantha smirked in an amused manner.

"You started it," Ron shrugged, and then they both entered the lab. Clara was reading a copy of Witch Weekly by a heating Cauldron, while Carey was cutting up some roots.

"Look who I found," Samantha said, and then she walked over and sat down in an empty chair.

"Hello," Ron greeted them, and both Clara and Carey gave him their full attention.

"Is that our Prince Charming?" Clara asked sweetly, her eyes fixed on Ron's.

"Depends… Do you need rescuing?" Ron asked, and Clara giggled cutely.

"That was a good comeback," Clara smiled at him.

"How have you been, Ron?" Carey asked in her silky voice, and Ron looked to see her smiling at him.

"I've been managing," Ron replied. I still get angry every time I think of The Quibbler, Harry and Hermione seem to hate me now, and Ginny hasn't even looked in my direction for a week. But yeah… I'm managing.

"Are you sure?" Carey asked, and Ron blinked at her. "We saw you on Sunday night, Ron. Your eyes were agitated, and we could tell why."

"You can come to us for anything," Samantha added. "Our job is to help the students of Slytherin."

"And we actually like you," Clara said rather kindly.

"I'm better now, I promise," Ron said softly, his eyes still fixed on Carey. "I had just had a rough few days, and… they got to me…"

"Come here, Ron," Carey said, and Ron slowly stepped up to her. She put her soft palms on his cheeks, and then she planted a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth. Ron tensed for a moment, but then he relaxed completely. He wasn't going to lie, he did enjoy Carey's odd method of showing affection. "Are you sure that you're better now?"

"I am," Ron replied, while she stroked his cheekbones with her thumbs. "Do you need my help with something?"

"Sadly, yes," Carey replied, and then she let go of his face. "The second years are still causing problems."

"At the rate that they're going, they won't meet this week's quota either," Samantha told him.

"Unlike your first years, who are being praised by even McGonagall," Clara hummed.

"At this point, we're at our wits end with the second years," Carey said smoothly. "We know that you're busy, and we understand that you have responsibilities outside of Hogwarts. But we need your help."

"You want me to take the second years under my wing?" Ron asked, he really didn't have time for that.

"No, we simply need your advice," Samantha replied, and Ron shot her a curious look. "Draco Malfoy is skirting his responsibilities, and as a result of that, your friends are left shorthanded."

"I tried to coax him into doing his job, but he really doesn't trust us," Clara added, and Ron nodded in understanding. Why would he? He thinks that they're on my side, which they are.

"And because of that, we're removing his status as a third year representative," Carey told him, and Ron was rather surprised.

"What about his father?" Ron asked.

"If he demands anything of us, we will simply tell him that his son refused to cooperate," Samantha replied. "We gave him a chance, and everyone in this House is witness to that."

"Just as they're witness to Malfoy disappearing every day," Clara added on.

"We need your advice on which of your friends to pick," Carey said, and Ron gave it a quick thought. "And… We would appreciate it if you gave the second years an occasional once over. Just check up on them, that's all."

"I… I can do that," Ron agreed, and the girls smiled at him. I hope I don't regret this. These second years sound like little cunts.

"Thank you, Ron," they said together.

"Now, who should we turn into a representative?" Carey asked.

"Let me think," Ron said slowly, and she nodded gently. Pansy isn't really good with ordering people around, and something tells me that she doesn't want to bully anyone anymore. Tracey won't take it seriously. I mean, she'll try… and then she'll get bored. Blaise would be good, but he can be very indifferent to people that he doesn't like. Which leaves… Ron stopped immediately, he had it! "Millicent Bulstrode," Ron said, and the girls blinked at him.

"Millicent Bulstrode?" Carey repeated, and Ron gave her a firm nod.

"She did do spectacularly at the Dueling Club," Clara pointed out.

"But she doesn't exactly strike me as… cunning," Samantha said. "No offence, of course."

"None taken," Ron said to her, and then he looked to Carey. The beautiful witch was just looking at him with a slightly bewildered look, and Ron took in a deep breath. "Millie isn't a schemer… Actually, she's quite blunt, but in my opinion, that's her main strength. Daphne and Theo are schemers, they know how to manipulate the people around them, but so far, they haven't been able to control the second years. Neither have you three, actually. And that's because you can't motivate lazy people with promises of rewards, at least not always. Sometimes, you need a firm hand. And Millie has firm hands."

"That… makes sense…" Carey said slowly, her eyes traveling to her fellow Triumvirate members.

"You need someone who will boot their arses into gear," Ron said. "I mean, you've tried kind words… You've tried to show them the benefits of cooperation… Maybe it's time you show them what happens when they don't put the House first."

"I like the sound of that," Clara chuckled, while Carey and Samantha nodded their agreement.

"Very well, Ron," Carey smiled at him. "We will speak to her tomorrow."

"I'm not making any promises here, but just don't underestimate her," Ron said. "Give her some time with them."

"And you'll keep an eye on them every now and then?" Carey asked, and Ron nodded his agreement. "Thank you, Ron. We truly do appreciate your input. Samantha will take you back to your friends."

"Happy to help," Ron smiled at her, and then he followed Samantha to the door. As they were climbing up the short few stairs that led into the common room, Samantha stopped him by placing a hand on his right shoulder.

"Thanks for that, Ron," Samantha smiled genuinely, and he couldn't help but smile back. Merlin, she's so pretty when she smiles. Perfect teeth, and her lips are so… red… compared to her rather pale skin. "We know that you've had a rough few days."

"I'm fine," Ron shrugged.

"You've been missing meals, and the state of you on Sunday night was… It was hard to watch," Samantha told him. "Carey had to force Clara to stay away from you, and I'm not sure that I agree with her this time. Not to mention that you keep disappearing for entire days at a time. Is it your health?" It's my business, but in a way, it is fucking with my health.

"I'm getting help, I promise," Ron replied, deciding to keep The Quibbler a secret for now. Don't need another shite-storm. Samantha just stared at him, and Ron realized how grim his answer was. She probably thinks that I'm fucking dying now. Damn it. "Um… So… I'll head back to my friends then."

"Right," Samantha whispered, and the she cupped his right cheek. Didn't Clara say that Samantha wanted to show me more affection? I mean, this is quite nice. She doesn't really strike me as a person who like touching people. "You can always come to us, Ron. You know that, right?"

"I know," Ron replied, though he knew that he wouldn't.

"Alright, off you go," Samantha said, her hand going back to her side.

"I'll see you around, Samantha," Ron smiled at her, and then he made his way back to his friends. I'll let the Triumvirate talk to Millie themselves. I don't want her to think that they only picked her because I asked them to. Actually, I'll just pretend like this conversation never took place.

---

Lord Voldemort's POV

Thursday 17th September, 1993 (Outside St. Mungo's Hospital – Past Midnight)

The Dark Lord stood in front of the red-bricked, condemned department store called Purge and Dowse, Ltd, and it was just as he remembered it from the Great War. Remote, hidden from Muggles, and a truly hideous sight from outside. Why Mungo Bonham had chosen to place the Wizarding Hospital anywhere near the filthy, disease-ridden Muggles was beyond Lord Voldemort, but right now, he cared very little for the answer.

"Five," Lord Voldemort hissed from the shadows, his eyes fixed on the young man who had just exited the Hospital. He had been counting how many wizards and witches exited the premises after midnight, his ingenious mind coming up with a plan for his eventual escape from the Magical Hospital. Five vermin in the last one hour. But during the day… Far too many to count. I will make my escape past midnight then.

With his mind made up, the Dark Lord walked out of the shadows and approached the entrance. It was the same as it was ten years ago, a window with a broken down female mannequin. Time to find the rat. Lord Voldemort pulled back his hood, and then he grabbed onto two of his fingers with his right hand. And then, with a forceful twist, he snapped his host's fingers. He felt no pain, of course, but deep down, he could feel little Abigail thrashing about. Be silent, girl. This will be over soon. With that, he stepped through the Magical Barrier.

"Welcome to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies…" the welcome-witch drawled, her young and pretty features marred by a look of utter boredom. Lord Voldemort walked over the reception, his round blue eyes watery.

"Can… Can you help… me?" he 'sobbed', and the welcome-witch was immediately broken out of her boredom. "A man broke… broke my fingers…" The welcome-witch looked down at little Abigail, and once her eyes landed on the girl's mangled fingers, she all but leaped over the counter.

"Let me see those, love," the witch quickly leaned down by the Dark Lord's side, her face twisting into a pitiful look.

"I just wanted… a few… coins…" he wailed in Abigail's voice, and the witch looked like she was in genuine pain.

"Hush, love," the witch pulled him into a soft hug, and then she quickly stood up and took his good hand. "Come, let's get you to a Healer."

"Thank… Thank you, Miss," he croaked, all the while using his little legs to keep up with the witch's quickened pace.

"Healer McTavish is a really good Healer, love," the witch said, her voice wavering a bit. "He'll fix you right up, I promise."

---

Twenty Minutes Later

They had taken away his black robes, and forced him into a white hospital gown. His fingers had been healed, and now he sat on his new bed while Healer McTavish and the welcome-witch discussed the state of little Abigail. He listened in, of course, but he was quickly getting tired of playing the role of a weak little girl. He wanted to find Pettigrew. He needed to find Pettigrew.

"She's clearly from the slums of Knockturn Alley," the Healer whispered, but the Dark Lord could easily overhear him. "And judging by the story you told me, I'd wager that she was caught picking someone's pocket."

"What kind of brute would break a child's fingers?" the welcome-witch hissed, her overwhelming compassion had turned into seething rage.

"That doesn't matter right now," the Healer replied. "She's terribly malnourished… I'd say that she hasn't eaten for well over a week," Two weeks, the Unicorn's heart not counting. Lord Voldemort has no need for food. He is eternal. "She's probably an orphan…"

"Then we should keep her here," the welcome-witch said quickly.

"Until she is nourished again, yes," the Healer whispered. "But after that… She has to go."

"What? Back to Knockturn Alley? She's no older than eight, Healer," the witch argued.

"We can't keep unpaying patients here indefinitely," the Healer sighed. "I'm sorry, Isabella, but she can't stay for more than a few days."

"I… I understand," the witch muttered, she looked utterly crestfallen.

"I have to check up on my other patients," the Healer said, and then he looked to the Dark Lord. "If you need anything, please ring that bell by your bedside table. A nurse will come and give you whatever you need."

"Okay…" Lord Voldemort replied, making sure to sound scared and alone. It had the desired effect, as both the Healer and the witch swallowed thickly. Healer McTavish left the room quickly after that, he clearly didn't want to overstay his welcome. The welcome-witch, however, moved closer to him. Damn pest, leave already!

"Can I ask your name?" the witch asked gently, a soft smile on her face.

"Abigail," the Dark Lord replied.

"That's a really pretty name," the witch said, and Lord Voldemort had to fight the urge to snap the woman's neck. "I'm Isabella, but you can call me Izzy. All my friends do."

"Okay," he said, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor.

"Are you hungry, Abigail?" Isabella asked. "Of course you are… Why don't you sit here for a bit, and I'll bring you something from the Healer's lounge? Do you like chocolate?" I detest it. Lord Voldemort nodded weakly, and Isabella smiled a little more widely at him before leaving the room.

"Finally," the Dark Lord hissed. I need time to leave this body, this vessel saw me take possession of her. I'll need to wait until the witch returns, and once she's truly out of my hair, I'll shatter this girl's mind before finding Pettigrew. While he waited for Isabella to return, he took the opportunity to look around his room. It was more out of boredom than curiosity, but once he spotted a particular magazine, all notions of boredom were forgotten. Is that…?

The Dark Lord slid off of his bed, and he quickly walked over to the coffee table. It was littered with old magazines, but only one of them captured his attention. He slowly took the magazine into his small hands, his eyes fixed on the image of a red-haired boy playing a game of Chess on a white background. Ronald…

There it was again, that odd feeling in his chest. Whenever he was near one of his Horcruxes, he felt this feeling. Was it a need to be whole once again? Perhaps. Or was this 'love'? He simply did not know. What he did know was that Ronald, like his other Horcruxes, was important to him. To his survival.

Nothing had changed in his plans for the Future. When he was finally at the height of his power again, he would seek out Ronald in order to take the boy under his wing. Ronald was a part of Lord Voldemort now, just as Lord Voldemort was a part of Ronald. They were one in the same, and no harm would fall upon Lord Voldemort. Once he was truly back, he would bring his heir into the fold. Ronald would agree, Lord Voldemort was certain of it. After all, the Dark Lord's death meant the death Ronald, did it not? Yes… The boy would understand. He had to.

As he traced his finger over Ronald's face, he found himself wondering about the demon possessing his Horcrux. That thing needed to be dealt with, and it needed to be dealt with soon. Lord Voldemort couldn't risk his Horcrux being destroyed, especially because he knew that he couldn't make another one. The Diary, the Ring, the Locket, the Cup, the Diadem, and Ronald. They are mine, and mine alone! They belong to Lord Voldemort!

"What have you got there?" came Isabella's voice, and the Dark Lord turned his face to her slowly. "Do you play Chess?" In a way, I used to. Instead of replying, Lord Voldemort pointed at Ronald's face. "Do you want to know who that is?"

"Yes," Lord Voldemort replied.

"That's Ronald Weasley," Isabella said with a smile, and then she set down the hot chocolate and sandwiches on the coffee table. "He's pretty famous, actually."

"Tell me about him," Lord Voldemort ordered, and Isabella blinked at his sudden change in demeanor. "Please."

"Alright, but you need to eat first," Isabella said gently. "Deal?" Wretched whore!

"Deal…"

---

One Hour Later

It was done. The girl's mind was shattered completely, and if she ever did wake up, she'd be spending the rest of her life in St. Mungo's. In a way, Isabella had gotten her wish.

Lord Voldemort had listened to the overly kind witch for nearly thirty minutes, and he had to admit that as he learned more and more about his Horcrux's achievements so far, he had felt quite proud. Ronald's prowess was no doubt a result of him being part Lord Voldemort. However, Ronald's ability to resist over fifty Veelas was a bit… alarming. This was a feat that not even the most powerful wizard of all time could manage, and yet Ronald had done it at the age of thirteen. Lord Voldemort wished to make Ronald his heir, not his replacement. In time, he would need to find a way to keep Ronald in his place.

As he travelled through the Hospital's ventilation system, he thought about what possessing Pettigrew would mean. For one, possessing a fully developed Magical Core meant that his vessel would last longer. But Lord Voldemort knew that Pettigrew wouldn't be able to hold him for more than a year. The Dark Lord was far too powerful, and sooner or later, Pettigrew's body would begin to break apart. This was just another step in the right direction, but it wasn't enough. Lord Voldemort needed to forge his own body, one that could safely contain his spirit without falling apart.

Secondly, the Dark Mark would fire up once he fully took control of Pettigrew's Magical Core. With his previous choice of bodies, this had never been an issue. The Dark Mark required a lot of power on his part, but since it helped him keep track of his servants, he didn't mind using it. But since secrecy was needed for this to work, the Dark Lord would need to cut himself away from the Dark Mark completely. It was rather off-putting, but it had to be done. His servants would all be 'set free' for the time being. But that freedom wouldn't last for long, because after all, service to the Dark Lord was a lifelong duty.

Lastly, he still didn't know how he was going to escape this wretched hospital. Pettigrew was a permanent resident here, and because of Rita Skeeter's article, the whole World knew it. He couldn't just up and disappear, it would arouse far too much suspicion. Especially from the likes of Dumbledore, and his band of Phoenix worshiping degenerates. The idea of human Transfiguration was appealing, but in a hospital full of trained Healers, it was pointless. Someone would figure out his ploy sooner or later, and then a manhunt would start. Lord Voldemort needed secrecy, he needed time.

"Peter," Lord Voldemort hissed in his wraithlike form, and then he slowly phased into the rat's room. There he was, sitting on his bed with his eyes open. The once chubby man was now just an empty husk, and his eyes seemed to have stopped functioning because they were completely white. This did not bode well for the Dark Lord, but right now, he couldn't afford to be picky. "Give me your body, and I will grant you the glory which you always aspired for. As the Dark Lord's puppet, all will fear you." His words were met with silence, but that was good enough for him.

In one swift swoop, the Dark Lord entered Pettigrew's empty vessel. Fresh air filled his barely used lungs, and the Dark Lord wheezed as the body's rigid joints shook from being suddenly used. There was no mental resistance whatsoever, but the body was utterly useless to the Dark Lord in its current state. This was not surprising, as Pettigrew had probably not moved a muscle in well over a year, but it did present another obstacle to be overcome. I will need to stay within this body for a few days, and heal it using the rat's own Magical Core.

That's when an idea occurred to him. Perhaps the rat's decrepit body was a blessing in disguise. Yes… It certainly was. He would force most of Pettigrew's Magic to focus on healing his body, which in turn would mean that the Dark Mark couldn't be powered. This would give him time to sever his connection from his own Mark for the time being, and come up with a suitable plan to exit the hospital. Only a few more days. And then, Lord Voldemort will rise.

---

Ronald Weasley's POV

Thursday 17th September, 1993 (D.A.D.A Classroom – Morning Classes)

The tension in the room could be read by a toddler. Everyone was feeling uneasy for their own reasons, and that resulted in a cloud of despair hovering over everyone's heads. The Slytherins were not too keen on standing in front of the Boggart, and while some had genuine reasons to fear what would be revealed, others simply didn't want to be made fun of. The Golden Trio seemed to be at odds about something, and judging from Harry and Hermione's haughty looks, it looked like Neville was just caught in the middle of their respective problems.

And then there was Remus, who had been outed as 'Hogwarts' number one thug' not too long ago. Whatever confidence that he had built up over the last three weeks was now shattered, and instead of smiling like he usually would, the rugged Professor was far too subdued. It was as if he was afraid of raising his voice and coming across as unpleasant. All of this doom and gloom resulted in people like Lavender and her friends also feeling out of place.

"Right," Remus said as he levitated the metal trunk into place. "Everyone please clear the tables, and then form a line."

"All of us, Sir?" Parvati asked, and Remus blinked at her.

"Um… No," Remus shook his head weakly. "Just the Slytherins will do." Shite. Entity, if you can hear me, help me! What do I do?! The class slowly did as they were told, and Ron and his friends took their sweet time, but in the end, they were all forced to make a line. Entity? You fucking tosser… Help me!

"Ron, do something," Daphne whispered from behind him, and Ron shot her a frown.

"Do what exactly?" Ron whispered.

"Fake a headache," Theo whispered from ahead of him. "Shite… I'm not comfortable with this…"

"Right, Ms. Davis, you're up," Remus called, and she shot a panicked look behind her.

"Sir, could we not do this in front of others?" Blaise asked in his usual aloof tone, and every Slytherin nodded immediately. Nice! Thank Merlin for Blaise Zabini.

"Pardon?" Remus blinked at them.

"That's not fair!" Dean Thomas all but shouted. "We did it in front of them, so why can't they do it in front of us?!"

"That's right, Professor," Hermione joined in, her eyes darting towards Ron. Again, get off my case woman!

"We showed them what we were scared off," Finnegan frowned angrily. "It's only fair that we get to see their fears too."

"This is not a competition," Remus sighed out, and then he looked to the Slytherins. "Do you really want me to send the Gryffindors out for this? The whole point of this exercise is to face your fears, and then overcome them." Fail us then, but for Merlin's sake, don't put me in front of that thing.

"Sir, we don't feel comfortable being put in this situation," Blaise replied, and Remus rubbed his forehead.

"Bloody cowards," Finnegan spat out, but they all just ignored him.

"Mr. Finnegan, there is no need for that," Remus said.

"If we show them our fears, then they can hold that over us," Theo pointed out, and every Gryffindor frowned at him.

"We wouldn't do that," Harry said firmly.

"We're not like you lot," Finnegan added.

"Just stop being such crybabies about everything," Hermione said haughtily. Name-calling? Really?

"No one is talking to you, 'five seconds'," Pansy sneered at the bushy haired witch, who seemed to puff up with rage immediately. Yeesh, things are turning sour pretty quickly.

"I'll show you 'five seconds' you bimbo!" Hermione shrieked, while Lavender and her lot just gaped at Hermione's sudden outburst.

"Bimbo?!" Pansy shrieked back.

"Enough!" Remus yelled, making everyone flinch. "Gryffindors, please step outside for the next ten or so minutes."

"This is unbelievable," Finnegan frowned at the Slytherins.

"You're all such cowards," Thomas shook his head.

"Out please," Remus said firmly, and the Gryffindors left with looks of genuine disgust and annoyance. This still doesn't help me. Entity, don't you care if we get caught here? For fuck's sake, respond to me. "Ms. Davis, step up to the trunk please."

"What was the incantation again, Sir?" Tracey asked, no doubt trying to prolong seeing her worst fear.

"Riddikulus," Remus replied.

"I'm a bit nervous is all," Tracey chuckled anxiously. "It's just that you're really cute, and I like you so much." Despite their worries, most of the Slytherins, including Ron, burst into giggles and sniggers. Remus' lips twitched upwards, but he forced down the first genuine smile that he was about to have in almost a week.

"Ms. Davis, step forward please," Remus repeated, but he didn't sound very stern about it. Tracey drew in a deep breath, and then she stepped forward. Remus waved his wand at the trunk, and an angry looking Daphne stepped out of it. What the fuck?!

"Is that me?" Daphne asked, while everyone else, including Malfoy and his bullies, looked genuinely surprised.

"You're so annoying, Tracey," the Boggart spat out, and then she flicked her hair back. "None of really likes you, you know… We just tolerate you… I was, of course, forced to be your friend by my parents because they feel indebted to your parents… Greengrasses beholden to a Mud-Blood and a Blood-Traitor, isn't that the funniest joke ever? It definitely beats your sense of humor, anyway." This Boggart is a bitch!

"Riddikulus," Tracey chanted angrily, and Daphne's hair simply fell off of her head. No one really laughed at the bald Daphne, they were mostly just uncomfortable. Tracey stormed off to the back of the line, her eyes watery from sheer embarrassment. Daphne quickly moved to her side, and the two started talking in hushed whispers.

"Right… Mr. Crabbe?" Remus asked, and the fat boy shook his head. "You have to show me that you can do this Spell, otherwise I can't give you a grade for this exercise." Crabbe looked back at the others, who all averted their gazes. Good lord, this is it… Entity, please… Say something. Crabbe walked up to the bald Daphne, and she morphed into a truly obese version of himself. That's a big boy!

"One more cake," the boggart grumbled, and then it stuffed a cupcake into its disgusting mouth. Ron had never seen such a fat person before, and he was genuinely scared that the Boggart would have a heart attack and scar the entire class.

"Riddi… Um…" Crabbe looked to Remus, who mouthed the incantation. "Riddikulus!" The Boggart suddenly rolled onto its side, and then it began groaning.

"Help…" the Boggart groaned. "I can't stand up…" Once again, no one laughed. Crabbe quietly shrunk to the back of the class, and Theo looked to Ron with a panicked look.

"Please mate, I can't go in front of that thing," Theo pleaded. "I just-"

"Mr. Zabini, please step forward," Remus said, he himself wanted to get this over with. He hadn't expected their fears to be their biggest insecurities, which is why he was glad that the Gryffindors were outside for this. Blaise stepped forward, and oddly enough, he still had an aloof look on his face.

The chubbiest Boggart in existence quickly morphed into a dark green bottle, and it just sat there in front of Blaise. What the…? He's scared of… bottles? Everyone just exchanged looks, and even Remus seemed to be intrigued by the Boggart's new shape. Blaise however, knew all too well what he was seeing. This was the exact same bottle that he had found in his mother's drawers when he was nine, and a day later, his fifth step-father was found dead in his study. And this very bottle was nowhere to be found after. That was the day that Blaise had realized that he was living with a serial killer, one that could potentially poison his meals without his knowledge. That was the day that Blaise had learned to order his meals via Owl-mail, and as a result of this, his obsession with foreign foods had started.

"Riddikulus," Blaise chanted calmly, and the bottle's cork popped open and colored bubbles began to pour out of it.

"Well done," Remus said, his eyes traveling to Blaise. Blaise simply turned around and walked to the back of the line, and Theo began throwing more panicked looks around the room. "Mr. Nott, please step forward."

"Ron, please…" Theo shot another look back, and something in Ron's chest twisted. Fuck! Me or Theo? Damn it, that's not even up for discussion. Ron quickly stepped in front of Theo, who quickly tried to move behind Millie. Sadly for Theo, Millie had no intention of going right after Ron. Entity! Cocksucker! Reply!

"Very well," Remus sighed, and then he gestured Ron to step forward. It's over. I'm so fucked. Ron took a slow step forward, and oddly enough, he knew that his friends were now watching keenly. The bottle just sat there for a moment, and then it began twist and warp wildly.

"What is this intrusion?" came the Entity's tired growl, and Ron nearly broke into a grin.

"HELP ME!" Ron all but begged, and he suddenly felt a pang of pain in the middle of his forehead. But then, the Boggart turned into a thick black sludge. OH FUCK!

"Goop? He's scared of goop?" Ron heard Pansy's voice, but Ron knew that this wasn't goop. No, this was something infinitely worse than goop.

"Riddikulus," Ron chanted, but nothing happened. It didn't work? It didn't work!

"He messed it up?" came Goyle's voice, and Ron shot an angry glare at the large boy. I'll mess you up, cunt! The goop suddenly began to twist and warp again, and Ron's headache returned.

"How could you fail?" came a sob from the morphing Boggart, and everyone could tell whose voice that was. That's me, isn't it? "We weren't meant to fail…" Fail? As in failed the Cycle? Fuck no! I'm not failing shite!

"Riddikulus! Riddikulus!" Ron chanted over and over again, all the while picturing his terrible paintings with Pandora. "Riddikulus!" Nothing happened, and the Boggart kept trying to find his worst fear.

"ENOUGH OF THIS NUISANCE!" the Entity screamed in his mind, and much to everyone's horror, the Boggart exploded into meaty chunks of black blood and mist. Ron immediately heard the screams, and if he had to guess, they were coming from Daphne, Pansy, and Tracey. Remus staggered back with a shocked expression, his back hitting the wall as his wide-eyes traveled to Ron. How do I explain this?! Think fast.

"Disgusting vermin," Ron growled, quickly twisting his face into a sneer. Own it. Pretend that that was you. "Should've just listened to me…"

"Wha… What?" Remus muttered, his eyes traveling to the horrified Slytherins, all of whom were creeping away from Ron. "What did you…? What…? How?" Remus then suddenly shot forward and inspected the remains, but everyone knew that the Boggart was definitely dead.

"Class dismissed, I guess," Ron shrugged, and Remus slowly looked back to him. Ron could see the fear on the man's face, and it took everything in Ron to not lose his composure. Entity! Did you really have to do that, you fucking psychopath? How do I explain this?

"Remus, we heard screaming!" Harry shouted as he burst into the room with his wand at the ready. Behind him were Neville, Finnegan, Thomas, and Hermione, and just like Harry, they all had their wands at the ready. Ron turned to face them, and he didn't fail to notice how his friends tensed at the sight of him. Great work, Entity. Fucking spectacular performance. Bloody moron. Even Daphne was staring at him with wide-eyes, her bottom lip quivering from sheer terror. No… No, no, no…

"What's that?" Hermione asked, her face grimacing at the sight of black goo and dissipating mist.

"That's the Boggart," Malfoy mumbled, he looked ready to bolt. "Weasley… He… He blew it into pieces with his mind…" Thank you, Malfoy. Thank you for that. Shite, I'm so fucked now.

"Everyone step outside right now," Remus said quickly, and then he put a firm hand onto Ron's right shoulder. "Out now!" The Slytherin students didn't need to be told twice, while the Gryffindors left rather slowly. Ron had never seen such fear and confusion amongst his classmates before, and truth be told, he himself was terrified. How do I explain this? "Ron, look at me," Remus ordered as he turned Ron in order to face him. "What did you do? Tell me right now."

"Occlumency," Ron lied, his mind going into a panic. Occlumency?! That's my best?! Ah, fuck!

"Occlumency?" Remus muttered, his jaw hanging loose. "You used Occlumency to shield your mind from that Boggart?" Hey, that works!

"I didn't want it in my head," Ron replied, and Remus looked completely lost.

"It couldn't find a shape because you kept pushing it out…" Remus muttered to himself, and Ron nodded rather eagerly. He's making up the story for me. Go with it, Ron. "Wait… Occlumency? You know Occlumency? How is that even possible? Occlumency isn't even taught at Hogwarts, and it takes years to master… Ron, tell me the truth right now!" Shite, there it goes.

"I am," Ron replied as calmly as he could. "I'm no master at it, but I can clearly use it. You just saw me do it." Down the rabbit-hole we go.

"That's… No, that's not possible," Remus mumbled, his head shaking on its own. "You killed it, Ron… You killed it… And with your mind alone… No, this is not possible…"

"That's what people said about resisting Veelas, but I made history, didn't I?" Ron stated, and Remus just stared at him with his mouth hanging open. Fucking lies on top of lies. Damn you, Entity!

"Headmaster Dumbledore," Remus said to himself, and then he gave a shaky nod. "He'll know what to do. Come… Follow me…" Remus then began marching towards the exit, and Ron quickly followed after him. Dumbledore will definitely help me. Thank Merlin.

---

Twenty Minutes Later

"I must admit, this is rather intriguing," Dumbledore said from behind his desk, his eyes fixed on Ron's. I'm so fucking sorry about this, old man. I'm really sorry, but please, lie for me.

"Intriguing?" Remus repeated, his eyes darting between Ron and Dumbledore.

"Mr. Weasley is indeed forming a defense against my Legilimency," Dumbledore lied, and Remus blinked at him.

"You're using Legilimency on him right now?" Remus asked. Yeah, are you?

"Indeed," Dumbledore lied. "He is quite adept at defending his mind, actually."

"Unbelievable…" Remus muttered, his eyes analyzing Ron with both shock and awe. "This is just surreal… And the Boggart? Did he kill it?"

"I don't believe so," Dumbledore replied, and Ron kept his face perfectly straight. "I sense no real malicious intent, even through his defenses."

"Then what happened to it?" Remus asked quickly.

"I believe that it destroyed itself in an effort to invade Ronald's mind," Dumbledore explained, though Ron knew that he was just making things up. Remus, on the other hand, was believing every word of this tripe. "Ronald truly does have an impenetrable will, even I am having difficulty with finding any chinks in his armor."

"Even you?" Remus asked, he was moments away from going into complete shock. Stop selling me so hard, or we'll both get caught.

"Since we have determined that Ronald does indeed know Occlumency, you should return to your class," Dumbledore said, and Remus just sat there with a dumbfounded look on his face. "Remus, I would like to speak with Ronald in private."

"I… Of course," Remus nodded weakly, and then he slowly stood up. "I'll be on my way then…" With that, Remus drifted out of the Office. The moment the door closed behind him, Ron let out a loud sigh.

"What happened, dear boy?" Dumbledore asked. "What really happened?"

"The Entity went berserk…" Ron replied, and Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his crooked nose. "I'm so sorry, Headmaster. Really sorry… I didn't want you to lie on my behalf like this."

"This is hardly your fault," Dumbledore gave him a kind smile, but Ron still felt rather guilty. "If anything, I commend you on your quick thinking. Occlumency… Truly clever, Ronald."

"It was just in my head because I had a lesson with Professor Snape a couple of days ago," Ron admitted. "Bloody hell, everyone will be talking about this before lunch is over. I really don't need this attention on me, especially because of what I need to do on Sunday."

"Actually, you might not be able to," Dumbledore said tiredly, and Ron blinked at him.

"Did something happen?" Ron asked.

"Harry wishes to go back to Grimmauld Place for the weekend," Dumbledore replied. "He is adamant about seeing Sirius, and by extension, Peter Pettigrew."

"Is that why he's been so moody in classes?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore simply smiled. "He ripped into me when I delivered Sirius' letter to him. Started raving about how he didn't need my help, and that people were wrong to think that he couldn't take care of himself."

"He is quite headstrong, is he not?" Dumbledore chuckled.

"How is that a good thing?" Ron asked, but Dumbledore's eyes merely twinkled in response. "So we leave Kreacher alone for now?"

"Yes, we must," Dumbledore replied. "Now, if people ask you about the Boggart, simply tell them that it destroyed itself due to it trying to shift forms so quickly. You are lucky that we know so little about these Creatures, otherwise we'd both get caught within days."

"And once again, thank you for saving my arse," Ron smiled sheepishly. "The Entity tends to get angered very quickly."

"Believe me, I am well aware of that," Dumbledore responded.

"So should I head back to class?" Ron asked, and Dumbledore nodded. Ron stood up at that, and after giving Dumbledore a grateful nod, he made his way out. As soon as he stepped past the Stone Gargoyle, he was met with the faces of his classmates. What they doing here? Most of them looked slightly afraid, while some of them looked downright intrigued. "Hello."

"What was that?" Blaise asked him.

"Did you really blow up the Boggart with your mind?" Lavender asked quickly, and disturbingly enough, she sounded almost excited.

"That's not possible," Hermione frowned at her roommate. "I've told you that a dozen times, Lavender. Boggarts can't be killed with mind-"

"Hush," Fay shushed her, and Hermione glared at the three fangirls.

"Ron, a word?" Blaise asked, and Ron nodded. Get me the fuck out of here.

"Oi, we want to hear what happened too," Thomas snapped.

"Ron, tell us what you did," Harry demanded, his brow furrowed.

"I used Occlumency to trap the Boggart," Ron lied, and the people who knew what Occlumency was gaped at him.

"You know Occlumency too?!" Hermione asked a little too loudly, she looked both shocked and upset.

"Yeah, Ron… You know Occlumency?" Theo asked slowly, his eyes drifting towards their friends.

"What's Occlumency?" Harry asked, and as Hermione was about to answer, Ron interrupted her.

"Why aren't you lot in class?" Ron asked. "I was just heading there myself."

"Professor Lupin's gone barmy," Thomas replied. "He told us to leave for our common rooms, and then he ran off into his Office." Shite, he's no doubt sending a letter to my parents.

"Don't call him barmy," Harry glared at Thomas, who rubbed the back of his neck in a guilty manner.

"How did you kill it?" Millie asked, and Ron knew her well enough to know that she was rather frightened right now. Fuck you, Entity! You cock-guzzling twat!

"It um… It killed itself, actually," Ron replied, and everyone just stared at him. "It was trying to shift forms too quickly, all the while trying to find my worst fears… It sort of blew itself up."

"There's no record of that ever happening," Hermione argued quickly.

"It's what the Headmaster told Professor Lupin and me," Ron told them all, and they slowly nodded. They really do buy everything that Dumbledore says, don't they?

"So you didn't kill it?" Daphne asked, and Ron looked right at her.

"No, Daph," Ron said gently, and he saw his friends relax a little. "I promise."

"Okay," Daphne nodded weakly, her body easing up a little.

"Right, interview over," Blaise said suddenly. "Ron, let's go back to our common room. I've got your books."

"Right," Ron nodded, eager to get away from people.

---

Thursday 17th September, 1993 (The Great Hall – Dinner)

Coming here was a damn mistake, Ron knew it for certain now. He should've just had Marty bring him and his friends their food within the common room, just like he had done during lunch, but no, they had decided to not hide in the common room for dinner as well. So here he was, sitting with his friends as usual, but the atmosphere was far from normal.

For one, his friends were still quite startled. Pansy and Tracey still hadn't said a damn word to him since D.A.D.A, and every time he looked at them, they gave him weak smiles and averted their gazes. Daphne was at least trying to talk to him, but he could see that she was scared of upsetting him. Blaise, Theo, and Millie were constantly asking him questions, and he was forced to keep lying about everything. Unlike the Gryffindors, they had heard 'Ron' sobbing about failing something, and he had told them that he was afraid of failing as a wizard. Luckily, they had bought that nonsense.

Secondly, every bastard with eyes was shooting him quick looks. Some were looks of awe, some were looks of fear, and some were looks of utter disbelief. The whole damn school was talking about Ron's latest 'achievement', and it was all because of Lavender and her flock of gossiping birds. Ron was certain that the Ravenclaws wanted to dissect him, while his own House-mates were no doubt planning to kiss his arse. As for the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, Ron had no idea what they were thinking.

"The Professors are discussing you, I think," Theo pointed out, and Ron shot a quick look at the staff table. And there they were, whispering to each other as they eyed him warily. I just love how the Entity took a massive shite, and I'm stuck wiping its arse. Again!

"So when did you start learning Occlumency?" Millie asked for the hundredth time, and Ron gave her a patient smile.

"After the Dark Lord tried to kill me," Ron lied, and she nodded slowly. "I've already told you, Mills, I practice it in my spare time."

"Like you practice Wandless Magic?" Daphne asked, and Ron nodded.

"Exactly," Ron smiled at her, but she couldn't manage one back. Please don't look at me like that, Daph.

"So um…" Theo started. "Are you going to teach us?" This guy…

"If you want to learn, then of course," Ron replied, and Theo gave him a pat on the back. "We'll have to start with the basics though." Mostly because that's where I'm at myself. Oh Merlin, how am I going to pull this off? I have to pay perfect attention to Snape's lessons, that's the only way that this will work.

"We can start tomorrow," Blaise suggested, he was definitely eager to learn it. "We have a free period after lunch."

"After my Circuit Training, sure," Ron said as he screamed internally. The bell rang suddenly, and people began to leave for their common rooms. Ron and his friends slowly made their way out of the Great Hall, but they were ambushed by Ron's own siblings.

"Ron, can we talk please?" Percy asked, while the twins, Luna, and Ginny hovered right behind him.

"Sure," Ron smiled at them, but only Luna smiled back. Not a good sign. "Guys, I'll catch up to you."

"Sure thing," Blaise said, and then he led their friends away. Daphne didn't stay. Ron's stomach fell because of that, but he didn't show it.

"We should talk in the Courtyard," Luna hummed, her eyes looking right into Ron's. "There's a wonderful breeze out tonight, and it'll sooth our skins." Luna-ed.

"Sure," Ron nodded, and then he led the way. Once they were outside, Ron couldn't help but enjoy the cool breeze upon his skin. "So…" Ron turned to face his siblings.

"Is it true?" Fred asked quickly.

"You blew up a Boggart with your mind?" George asked right after.

"Sort of," Ron replied, and the twins marveled at him.

"Wicked," they said together, but Ron didn't feel 'wicked'. If anything, he wanted to be the Ron that Daphne wasn't afraid of.

"Lavender Brown and her friends are claiming that you know Occlumency," Percy stated, Ron hadn't seen Percy look so impressed before. "Even Seamus and Dean are claiming it."

"Is that true?" Ginny asked. "You really know Occlumency as well?"

"I do," Ron lied, and his siblings looked both bewildered and impressed.

"How?" Percy asked.

"Doesn't it take years to master?" Fred asked.

"When did you get the time to learn it?" George asked.

"Why would you even want to learn it?" Ginny asked.

"That's really amazing, Ron," Luna hummed.

"One at a time then," Ron said, and then he drew in a deep breath. "Percy, I studied for it in the Library. Fred, it does take years to master, but I am considered a Prodigy for a reason. George, I practice every day, just like my Wandless Magic. Ginny, I learnt it to protect my mind from attacks. Luna, thank you for your kind words." Woo… A lot of words there.

"Learnt it to protect your mind from attacks?" Ginny asked, and Ron realized why she had asked that. Her mind was taken from her last year. Fuck, poor answer on my part.

"After the Dark Lord tried to kill me, I decided to learn it," Ron lied, and they all swallowed thickly.

"I just… This is insane," Percy sighed.

"Our brother…" Fred smirked.

"A Master Occlumens," George smirked as well.

"Try poor apprentice," Ron chuckled. Try possessed by an angry God.

"So that thing that Greengrass said the other night… That was really true?" Ginny asked slowly.

"What thing?" Percy asked.

"She claimed that Ron was holding back during the Dueling Club," Ginny replied, and they all looked to Ron. Merlin, it's all piling on now, isn't it?

"I was," Ron replied, and that was sort of true. He was smart enough to know that if he really wanted to hurt his year-mates, they'd have all left the arena in body-bags. "Kind of had to, actually."

"Well, shite," Fred mumbled.

"Time to request for a demotion, Fred," George said, and Fred nodded in agreement.

"Can't have little Ronnie beating us in front of the entire school," the twins said together.

"Little? I'm taller than you," Ron stated.

"By an inch, and that's only because you're an unnatural sort of person," Fred smirked.

"Or I eat a lot and work out," Ron countered.

"There's no proof of that," George waved a dismissive hand.

"I'm still stuck on the Occlumency part…" Percy whispered, his eyes scanning Ron.

"Upset that you've been dethroned?" Fred sniggered, and Percy shot him a frown.

"Upset that you're not the king of the bookworms anymore?" George asked, smirking just like Fred.

"Why do you two always start with him?" Ginny snapped, her eyes narrowing on them. That's rich coming from you. You'd actually enjoy watching Harry beat me.

"It's just a joke, Gin-Gin," Fred cooed, and Luna giggled because of his voice. "You like this voice, Luna?"

"I think it's cute," Luna told him.

"Then this how we'll talk to you from now on," George cooed as well, and Luna nodded her agreement.

"So… Can I go down to Dungeons now?" Ron asked, and his siblings nodded. They all made their way inside, and while the twins made Luna giggle hysterically, Percy and Ginny eyed Ron rather critically. Percy looked to still be in shock, while Ginny looked rather wary of him. Ron wasn't sure, but he got the feeling that she wanted to interrogate him some more. Ron was truly glad to finally part from his siblings, he really didn't want to lie to them anymore.

"Purity," Ron said to the entrance, and it slid aside for him. As he stepped into the common room, a fourth year nearly ran into him. Damn, I need to watch where I'm going.

"Weasley… Sorry… You go first…" the fourth year mumbled, and then he stepped aside for Ron with a wavering smile on his face. What the fuck is this?

"Thanks, mate," Ron managed a confused smile, and then he walked towards his friends. It wasn't hard to miss the looks that he was getting, they made his skin crawl. What the hell is going on here?

"Ron, mate…" Theo mumbled as he walked up to his friends. "You won't believe what just happened to us…"

"Some bloke leaped out of my way just then," Ron said, and then he blinked at Theo. "What happened?"

"A couple of fifth years were warming themselves by the fire, but when they saw us, they let us have the spot," Theo replied, and Ron looked to his friends.

"It's true," Blaise confirmed, and Ron eyed his House-mates slowly.

"Actually, they even helped us settle in," Millie mumbled, she looked thoroughly confused.

"I think people are… scared of angering you," Theo pointed out, and Ron gaped at him. "They think that you'll blow them up with your mind." Damn you, Entity... Damn you...

---

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Another one! I hope you guys enjoyed that! I won't say much about what's to come, but I promise that things are going to start moving faster now that all the groundwork is done!

See you guys on Wednesday!